PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Three Port St. Lucie Police Department officers have been placed on paid administrative leave as investigations continue into two separate incidents involving political campaign signs that occurred last week on Southwest Airoso Boulevard.
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The officers placed on leave effective Tuesday, are Lieutenant Aaron Martin, Lieutenant Jason Vega and Detective Sergeant Joseph Alves. Chief Leo Niemczyk made the decision following a review of the initial facts and timeline surrounding the incidents.
The Port St. Lucie Police Department released more information regarding the incidents over the weekend.
First campaign sign incident on August 5
The first incident occurred on Aug. 5 near the intersection of SW Airoso Boulevard and SW Thanksgiving Avenue.
A Port St. Lucie Police sergeant observed Steven Giordano and an unidentified adult female near political campaign signs at a residence and initiated an investigation after one campaign sign was found on the ground while another had been placed in the yard.
Detectives reviewed surveillance video from the area, which appears to show Giordano and the unidentified adult female arrive at the residence, approach campaign signs displayed in the yard, and interact with the signage. The video further appears to show the unidentified female remove a campaign sign supporting Mayor Shannon Martin before a different campaign sign was placed in the yard.
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Detectives collected the video evidence and are evaluating it alongside statements, physical evidence, and all other information gathered during the investigation.
Officers and detectives are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the placement, movement, and authorization of the campaign signs, including whether the movement or replacement of the signs was authorized by the property owner at the time the incident occurred.
Port St Lucie
PSL police investigating 2 incidents involving political campaign signs
Second incident involves verbal confrontation
The second incident occurred on Aug. 7 near SW Airoso Boulevard and SW Thornhill Drive, where officers responded to a disturbance involving political campaign signs.
During the investigation, officers learned that Lt. Aaron Martin and Steven Giordano were involved in a verbal confrontation regarding the placement and movement of campaign signs at a nearby residence.
Officers reviewed video recordings provided by the involved parties, which depict Aaron Martin and Giordano engaged in a verbal confrontation regarding the placement and movement of political campaign signs at the residence.
Language barrier contributed to confusion
Investigators interviewed the homeowners and learned that both residents believed they had separately granted permission for campaign signs to be placed on the property. Officers determined that one homeowner communicated permission for one campaign's sign, while another resident of the home, who has limited English proficiency, separately conveyed permission to individuals associated with the opposing campaign.
Investigators believe the language barrier contributed to a misunderstanding regarding which campaign signs were authorized to be displayed and whether previously placed signs could be moved or replaced.
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The Port St. Lucie Police Department says it remains committed to ensuring all investigations are conducted fairly and impartially, maintaining its longstanding commitment to integrity, professionalism and accountability.
Lt. Aaron Martin's wife is Port St. Lucie Mayor Shannon Martin, who is currently running for re-election.
Mayor responds to husband's administrative leave
WPTV's Tyler Hatfield spoke with the mayor on Thursday, following the news that her husband is on paid administrative leave with the Port St. Lucie Police Department following the investigation.
"Whenever there's a criminal investigation of any kind, it's standard operating procedure for the police department to place people on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation," she said.
She said she hopes the incident will not impact her campaign and Tuesday's primary election.
"This issue about signage and campaign signs has nothing to do with my campaign in terms of how I have been leading the city and how I will continue to lead the city and the important issues that we're facing here in Port St. Lucie," Mayor Shannon Martin said.
When asked what she wanted to tell voters learning about her husband's leave in real time, the mayor pushed back on the framing of the situation.
"It was blown way out of proportion, but the process has to work the way that the process has to work in order to ensure fairness and transparency," she said. "So that process will go forward, but that has nothing to do with the elections. It has nothing to do with my campaign, whatsoever."
The mayor said she intends to press forward despite the circumstances.
"It's a disappointing situation. However, I'm going to continue to move forward and making sure that I am continuing my campaign. And continuing to work to earn residents' votes," Shannon Martin said.
When asked to comment on the investigation itself, the mayor declined.
"I cannot comment on that. It has nothing to do with me. I'm not part of that process whatsoever. I've never been part of that process as a mayor. That is not my role, and it will never be part of part of my process," she said.
