Captain Javier Ortiz, a former president of the Fraternal Order of Police, has been a controversial figure within the Miami Police Department. Over his 18-year career, Ortiz accumulated more than 60 citizen complaints, including 18 involving the use of force. In 2020, he was suspended for claiming to be Black to apply for promotions, despite appearing to be a white Hispanic. Ortiz has been accused of racially charged actions, such as criticizing a Black Muslim woman for not covering her heart during the Pledge of Allegiance and calling 12-year-old Tamir Rice a ‘thug’ after the child was shot by a Cleveland officer. In April 2021, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the FBI concluded a two-year investigation that found Ortiz’s actions represented ‘a pattern of abuse and bias against minorities, particularly African Americans.’ Despite these findings, Ortiz was reinstated to the force in 2023 after reaching a settlement with the department, which included several months of back pay. However, he was assigned to a desk job without a firearm or take-home vehicle.
.
