In a time when the public is treated to almost weekly video scandals of police misconduct that often results in death or injury, it feels almost quaint to have a photo-scandal centered on allegations of mere sexual harassment.
That’s the situation with Coral Gables police chief Ed Hudak, who dropped in on a pool party held and attended by female officers last July and took part in a group photo that some felt was inappropriate.
The picture of a uniformed Hudak with his bikini-wearing subordinates made the rounds and even showed up on Instagram. Shortly thereafter, an anonymous letter made its way to city officials asserting the women were harassed, and the city accordingly opened an investigation.
In the end, it was found that there were no formal violations inherent in Hudak’s conduct. According to the 93-page report on the incident, the independent investigator (retired Pennsylvania officer Charles Skurkis) “failed to identify any conduct at the pool party expressly prohibited by [Coral Gables Police Department] rules and regulations.”
