MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Three months after he was fired, former Miami Police Chief Art Acevedo is taking legal action against the City of Miami.
On Wednesday, Acevedo filed a lawsuit claiming the city manager and three commissioners violated his first amendment rights.
Acevedo claims they illegally retaliated against him for blowing the whistle on what he describes as a toxic stew of corruption and wrongdoing at city hall.
That includes City Manager Art Noriega and Commissioners Joe Carollo, Alex Díaz de la Portilla and Manolo Reyes.
The complaint details several examples of alleged illegal and unethical activity by commissioners, saying they attempted to “weaponize” Miami police officers against their enemies.
Acevedo said his firing was retribution for trying to maintain his independence as police chief.
He was on the job for just 6 months.
Noriega released the following statement in response to the lawsuit:
“This was expected and I look forward to the opportunity to discredit these false claims made by the former police chief.”
“It’s clearly an attempt to retaliate against the individuals that held him accountable for his own shortcomings as Miami police chief and to attempt to salvage his professional reputation by casting blame on others.”