RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Morale at the Riviera Beach police department has done a 180 over the last year according to several officers and the president of the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association.
“Things are looking good,” said PBA President John Kazanjian said. “People are happy now.”
That wasn’t the case in November 2017 when WPTV interviewed three officers who wanted to stay anonymous.
"I fear physical retaliation from the chief and his little minions," said one officer then.
Another officer echoed that sentiment. “People are demoralized. The officers are scared,” the officer said.
But since then leadership has changed at the police department and the officers take notice.
“Morale is just, wow, it just increased ten fold,” Kazanjian said.
He said that’s mainly because former Chief Clarence Williams has retired in February of 2018.
“It starts from the top, it really does,” Kazanjian said.
Officers had complained about Williams in the past but things came to a head in September 2017 after Williams attended a secret meeting at Hurst chapel.
Sources told us the meeting was to discuss ways to keep the former city manager out of office.
"My feeling was the same as every other officer that I've talked to, that he is a liar, that put under pressure he won't do the right thing,” one of the officers said in November 2017.
Officers took a vote of no confidence against the chief but Williams didn’t resign.
“What do you think of the vote of no confidence? I look you in the eye and I say not much,” Williams said in a news conference in October 2017.
In February 2018 he retired and Michael Madden took over as acting chief.
Kazanjian the officers are thankful for the change.
“The backbone of the agency are the men and women on the street,” Kazanjian said.
It is not clear when a permanent chief will be announced but council will wait until a new permanent city manager has been found first, which will happen sometime after the upcoming election on March 12.