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have the ability to talk to the staff. They can’t direct staff to take action. But they can get information. Just like residents can speak to staff. Why can’t commissioners, who are also residents?
Additionally, while that document is dated May 30, the last edit was made to it in October, which is when Hudak took over the department on a temporary basis and shortly after that Tastet was reassigned. It was an 18 minute edit. To write that? Reyes called those facts relevant. He also noted that while Tastet was reassigned in 
October, her access to IA records continued. She perused several grievances by officers and several complaints as well as a formal case against another lieutenant and three cases related to Hudak. We don’t know what she was looking for.
For the audit, Reyes also requested all the emails between her and former Chief Weiner. “To determine when the aforementioned investigation was initiated and to determine what if any legitimate purpose the investigation may have served and the result of the investigation,” the report states, adding that none were found about the Hudak investigation.
Apparently, all the communication was verbal? Doesn’t that mean that Tastet should be deposed?
“From the review of the aforementioned files, it is not clear when the aforementioned investigation into communications between then Major Hudak and Commissioner Lago was initiated, or what violation of law, ordinance, or policy was being investigated, and why no formal documentation was initiated concerning same. If there was an ongoing investigation of any sort, as stated earlier, it should have been documented using an internal affairs case number,” the report states.
“The failure to do so raises questions concerning the legitimacy of the investigation and the motivations for same.”
Ya think?
The report states that basically, and against policy, the Internal Affairs section was being used as an investigatory arm of the chief of police.
Leen told Ladra that city policy is to have those kind of investigations handled by an independent agency.
“If anyone needs to investigate elected or appointed officials, it should be the State Attorney’s Office or the Ethics Commission and not people that work for our chief of police or administrator,” Leen said. “That investigation should never have been asked for.”
Lago thinks so, too, and it’s part of the reason why the commissioner has called a special Sunshine meeting with the other commissioners on Wednesday. He told Ladra he wants to know why his conversations with any city employee is any of anybody’s business. And why it took him until days ago to get a report dated July 21.
“From my understanding, Chief Weiner was authorized by Salerno to look into who Major Hudak was having conversations with. That’s extremely troublesome,” Lago said about being the subject of a secret investigation. “That shouldn’t be happening in the public sector. It’s within my rights to have communication with staff.”
I’d also ask how do we know if there aren’t other investigations that we don’t know about? How do we know this wasn’t ordered by Salerno and what other strings he may have still been pulling even after he was ousted.
Lago also wants to ask City Manager Cathy Swanson Rivenbark why she won’t name Hudak the permanent chief. Swanson-Rivenbark has talked to commissioners about a restructuring she will propose that basically makes her new assistant city manager in charge of Public Safety, Frank Fernandez, the de facto top cop with two chiefs (read: assistant chiefs), Hudak and Major Raul Pedroso — who was part of Weiner’s loyal troops — reporting to him.
Read related story: Gables Police shake up makes new manager top cop
“I’m doing my own research and I haven’t found a department in the state with that kind of alignment where it’s been beneficial and sustained,” Lago told Ladra.
He’s worried that it’s top heavy. “You’re talking two significant salaries instead of one and 191 police officers now reporting to two people, not one. This provides an increased opportunity for chaos and insubordination.”
Additionally, he can’t understand why Swanson would make any change if Hudak has been so successful in the ten months since he was appointed. Crime is down by 20 percent in the first six months of this year when compared to 2014. Morale is up.
“In the private sector, you reward people for their achievements and leadership. You don’t penalize people for that kind of thing,” Lago said.
Swanson told Ladra last week that my sources just tell half of the story. She said that the department is divided and that Hudak is not a hero to all. Well, that is to be expected. Neither are the other two guys, by the way.
She also said her “realignment” would put the “unique talents” and resources in the police department to better use. But nobody is buying that. A lot of people think that this is a personal vendetta against Hudak, who once lead the IA investigation into her BFF then-assistant city manager Maria Alberro Jimenez — now Alberro Menendez and assistant city manager in neighboring Pinecrest — regarding a city contract that went to her then-boyfriend.
It looks like there could be a showdown between the commission — where Hudak arguably has the five votes to make him permanent chief — and the new city manager, a strong-willed manager with a Napoleon complex who told Ladra that she has the power vested in her to make this decision. And that she’s made it.
All I know is that grudges die hard in the Gables.
And that Tastet was recently rewarded with a job as the new assistant for the new chief, er, Public Safety Director Hernandez.
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