Tasered Opa-locka cop now named interim police chief, the fourth in 18 months for city
.jpg_2_1_0K5SNM7_fitted.jpeg "The Opa-locka Police Department has its third chief in a year.")
Six months ago, Opa-locka Police Sgt. Michael Steel got zapped by a superior officer with a training Taser in a bizarre attack that prompted him to file a lawsuit threat.
Ironically, the incident also has given a jolt to Steel’s career. First, he was promoted to captain and now he’s been named interim police chief — becoming the fourth person to take charge of the troubled department in the past 18 months.
He was appointed last week by James Wright, the city’s newly named interim manager. Wright also served as the city’s police chief for three years more than a decade ago, but left under a cloud himself. Wright said he elevated Steel because of his “integrity” and “credibility” while the city mounts a wider search for candidates.
“He has the city’s best interest at heart,” said the interim manager.
Steel, 48, who has worked his way up from street patrol during his 15-year career in Opa-locka, inherited the post from Dennis Jackson II, a pastor and retired assistant police chief in Miami. Jackson resigned last week, less than four months into the interim role. The chief prior to Jackson, Steven Barreira, was gone after a six-month stint. Barreira had replaced James Dobson, who was fired in August of 2020.
Steel, who also worked in internal affairs in Opa-locka, acknowledged this week that he’s only a place-holder and though he’d like to be chief someday, it’s not likely to happen at the end of the city’s newest search. He did make some bold statements though.
“Our goal is to make some positive changes for when the new [permanent] chief comes in,” Steel said. “The days of corruption are going to be over. We’re getting rid of all the trash.”
Many in Opa-locka have made similar pledges before. But the city has struggled to shed a reputation for dysfunction and budget shortfalls and has been under state financial oversight for the past six years.
Since an FBI corruption investigation that began in 2016, the city has been accused of turning water and sewer fees into an extortion racket. Its city manager and public works director were charged with an extortion scheme by the U.S. Department of Justice. And its police department was forced to leave its headquarters for a new temporary home because of terrible working conditions, leaks and mold.
The police department, among the lowest paid in the state, has also had repeated leadership and other problems. The latest trouble involved Steel and Capt. Sergio Perez, a controversial character who was involved in a horrific police chase and crash several years ago. Perez was involved in a wrong-way chase on Interstate 95 that led to the deaths of four visitors from California.
In September, Perez was accused of using a training Taser with a Velcro tip on Steel. Steel said he was chased by Perez in the police station and struck as he was trying to get away, after telling Perez not to do it six or seven times. Defense attorney Rick Diaz said Perez didn’t intentionally strike or point the Taser at Steel and that his claim against Perez was an attempt to profit from a future lawsuit.
Perez has since been relieved of duty and is now assigned to code enforcement. In late January, he was arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery.
The backlash was swift and struck the corridors of power in City Hall. Elected leaders and residents were incensed when an anonymous memo surfaced that accused City Manager John Pate of threatening retaliation against anyone who publicized the incident. In November, Matthew Pigatt, a reform-minded mayor, abruptly resigned, citing unspecified allegations of corruption. He had tried months earlier to have Pate fired, the culmination of a bitter feud between them.
The commission ultimately fired Pate last month “without cause,” although Commissioner Audrey Dominguez said he had shown a “lack of leadership” in his handling of the Taser fiasco. Pate is now suing the city, making corruption claims of his own against elected officials.
Even Wright — appointed as an interim to fill Pate’s slot — hasn’t been able to avoid controversy. He was fired as the city’s police chief in 2008 after several female officers lodged complaints against him, including for “repeated sexual advances that, when spurned, resulted in ‘pressure,’ ‘retaliation,’ and ‘intimidation,’ “ according to a Miami New Times report. Wright denied the claims at the time.
One of those officers was Nikeya Jenkins, who up until a few weeks ago was the city’s deputy chief of police and highest-ranking Black female officer. She left her post during an ongoing federal investigation into more than $20,000 in Paycheck Protection Program money she applied for while working in Opa-locka.
Jenkins was also one of the women who complained about Wright 15 years ago, saying he had “utilized his position and power to intimidate me into a sexual relationship in order for me to maintain my employment here in Opa-locka,” according to the Miami New Times report.
After this story first published online, Jenkins told the Herald she didn’t resign because of the PPP loan investigation or her history with Wright, but rather because she got a new job in the private sector.
Wright told the Herald on Tuesday that the city never looked into the complaints against him. Asked if there was any truth to them, Wright said: “If there were, why didn’t the city investigate?”
He also provided the Herald with records from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Opa-locka city manager at the time, noting that he was not terminated for misconduct.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that former City Manager John Pate had issued a memo. The Herald regrets the error.
This story was originally published February 16, 2022 at 9:56 AM.
