WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The union that represents the West Palm Beach Police Department is pushing back on the agency's decision to uphold the firing of three captains in an alleged "double dipping" scheme.
This is a story that WPTV has been closely following for nearly two years.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Officers accused of falsifying time cards
In a statement released Thursday, the West Palm Beach Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) said they were "disappointed" in Chief Tony Araujo's decision to uphold the termination of the captains.
"After months of reviewing the evidence, interviewing witnesses, and participating in this process, we firmly believe these decisions ignore the historical practices, longstanding expectations, and direction provided by prior administrations. Conduct that was known, accepted, and directed under former Chief Frank Adderley's administration is now being judged by an entirely different standard," the FOP's statement said.
FOP President Adam Myers contends that the three captains were exempt employees who "carried out their responsibilities within an established framework that had existed for years."
Myers also said the union was troubled by the investigative process.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: West Palm Beach police officers accused of stealing over 600 hours, audit says
"Important evidence, historical context, and information favorable to these officers were either omitted from the final Internal Affairs report or received little meaningful consideration. As a result, we believe the procedural protections afforded under Florida's Police Officers' Bill of Rights were not fully honored throughout this process," the FOP said.
In 2020, a third-party audit commissioned by the city of West Palm Beach looked into the finances of multiple departments of the city, including the police department. The auditor uncovered nearly $20,000 worth of double dipping on timecards, which shined a light on thousands of hours of overtime being paid out.
WPTV allegedly involved in numerous "financial improprieties" within the department. However, new footage WPTV obtained from a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office body camera showed Adderley telling a deputy that he knew about the "double dipping" allegations and that the city paused his investigation.
WPTV reached out to the police department for a statement on the firings but said they could not comment at this time "out of respect for everyone involved".
Below is the full statement released Thursday by the FOP
"The West Palm Beach Fraternal Order of Police is disappointed by Chief Tony Araujo's decision to uphold the termination of three Captains following their pre-disciplinary hearings.
After months of reviewing the evidence, interviewing witnesses, and participating in this process, we firmly believe these decisions ignore the historical practices, longstanding expectations, and direction provided by prior administrations. Conduct that was known, accepted, and directed under former Chief Frank Adderley's administration is now being judged by an entirely different standard.
These Captains were exempt employees who carried out their responsibilities within an established framework that had existed for years. The evidence presented during the hearings showed their actions were consistent with the guidance they had received and the operational practices that had long been in place. If the department wanted to change those practices, it had every right to do so. What it should not do is retroactively characterize those same practices as misconduct warranting termination.
We are equally troubled by the investigative process. Important evidence, historical context, and information favorable to these officers were either omitted from the final Internal Affairs report or received little meaningful consideration. As a result, we believe the procedural protections afforded under Florida's Police Officers' Bill of Rights were not fully honored throughout this process.
This case is about far more than three Captains. Every member of this department should pay close attention to what has occurred. If command staff can be terminated for following longstanding practices that were known and accepted by previous administrations, then every employee should question whether the rules they rely on today will still protect them tomorrow.
The Fraternal Order of Police has a duty to represent every member fairly, regardless of rank. We will continue to fulfill that responsibility by pursuing binding arbitration, where an independent arbitrator will review the complete evidentiary record, not just the conclusions contained in the Internal Affairs investigation.
The integrity of any disciplinary system depends on fairness, consistency, and due process. Those principles exist not only to protect employees, but also to preserve the public's confidence that disciplinary decisions are based on the complete facts and are applied fairly and consistently.
The FOP remains confident that, once all of the evidence is presented and evaluated in its entirety, these terminations will not withstand impartial review."
