WALDO — The former chief of the disbanded Waldo Police Department has been cleared of any wrongdoing that could have hindered his ability to once again be a law enforcement officer in Florida.
The Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission has found that Mike Szabo, who was chief of Waldo police until he resigned last year amid a criminal investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, violated no standards.
In a June 5 letter to Waldo City Manager Kim Worley, a CJSTC case manager wrote there was no evidence to indicate that Szabo violated moral character standards that define the duties of a police officer in Florida.
“The decision is based upon the finding that insufficient grounds exist under the guidelines of Chapter 943.1395, Florida Statutes, to pursue any disciplinary action by the commission,” CJSTC Training and research Manager R. Stacy Lehman wrote to Worley.
On Tuesday, Worley said she was happy with the decision by the commission.
“I think what they did was correct and I’m glad he was found innocent,” Worley said. “What he did was an effort to protect the city.”
The Waldo Police Department, which was long known as one of the most notorious speed traps in the country, was shuttered Oct. 1, 2014, by the City Council that oversees it, ending roughly two months of controversy that was initiated by infighting between Szabo and his officers. One of them, Roy Steadman, alleged Szabo recorded an in-office conversation with him, which led Worley to suspend Szabo on Aug. 12 and ask FDLE to open an investigation.
Szabo had fired Steadman for disobeying an order, but the Waldo City Council rehired him on Aug. 26. On the same night of Steadman’s rehire, he and four other officers told the City Council that Szabo and Cpl. Kenny Smith violated the state’s ambiguously written ban on traffic ticket quotas. An investigation by The Sun revealed the Waldo police budget was chiefly supported by ticket quota revenue and its officers heavily enforced speed limits set for a flea market that is only open on the weekend.
The FDLE launched a second investigation into the ticket quota allegation, but Alachua County State Attorney Bill Cervone felt the closure of Waldo police was enough and filed no charges. Also, Gov. Rick Scott signed a law spurred by The Sun investigation that better defined the state’s ticket quota ban and placed heavy scrutiny on police departments who use budgets that require the support of 33 percent or more in traffic citation revenue.
The CJSTC investigation was launched to review whether Szabo violated rules that govern law enforcement in the state. The probe found that the setting where Szabo recorded his conversation with Steadman was in his office, which did not provide a reasonable expectation of privacy. Also, Steadman was aware his conversation was being recorded.
As for the ticket quota, the probe found it did not offer Szabo or his officers any special treatment, according to a CJSTC memorandum.
“For these reasons, there was insufficient evidence to take either of these charges forward,” the memorandum states. “Therefore, staff recommends finding ‘No Cause’ and closing this case.”
Of the CJSTC decision, Cervone said his office usually is not included in those investigations. Generally speaking, a faulty track record usually follows an officer through his or her career.
“Common sense tells you that this is the kind of history a prospective employer is going to consider,” Cervone said. “Not whether someone is eligible.”
Meanwhile, Waldo has since operated without a police department. The City Council voted against an agreement with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office to provide extra service through a Municipal Service Taxing Unit because the city budget could not afford it.