Gwendolyn McGary
CJE2331
Professor Teague
03 Dec. 2018
Miami River Cops
Miami River Cops is one of the most corrupt cases in the history of the US police department. This case marked the end of the most violent era. Miami River Cops case took place when the business of selling narcotic drugs in particular cocaine was in the rise in Miami City. It was a time that even lower class people were making over $ 120,000 in one year (Mario Perdomo on Real Vice Miami – Miami River cops – FULL EPISODE – con subtítulos en español, 2012). The lower class people were the one who was being used to unload cocaine from a boat and would be paid $10,000 per boat. This led to an increase in the money supply in Miami City. The money that individuals would make from cocaine business was spent on clothes, restaurant, and buying cars. This meant that the economy of Florida City was stable. Residents of Miami could make money whether they were directly or indirectly involved in the cocaine business. Cocaine business was on peak and was facilitated by Columbians. This made Miami City become the Murder Capital of the world.
Due to the increase in criminal activities, the Miami Police Department had to increase the number of police officers to curb illegal activities. They intended to double the number of police officers since the rate of violence was high. Consequently, they lowered their standards to get more police officers. This led to the recruitment of criminals in the police department. This included criminals who were convicted of masterminding the execution-style murders.
On July 1985 when the Miami Vice popularity was high, eight men fully dressed in Miami Police Department Uniform stormed a boat that was being unloaded with million-dollars' worth cocaine by six men. Initially, the six men thought that the eight men were police officers until when one of them shouted "Kill ‘em" (Mario Perdomo on Real Vice Miami – Miami River cops – FULL EPISODE – con subtítulos en español ,2012). The cocaine traffickers realized that this was something more sinister and started jumping overboard. Surprisingly, even after jumping overboard the eight men did not go for them to arrest them. This is because they were not interested in arresting them but what interested them was the 350 kilos of cocaine which was worth $9 million. Unfortunately, half of the men who jumped overboard died and they were found floating in Miami River the next morning. Their bodies were fished out by the police, and each of the men was found to have a gun tucked in their waist as well as money ranging from $800-$1000.
Initially, the investigators believed that the police impersonators were behind this act since it was common during those days. This is because police uniforms, as well as their equipment, could be purchased over the counter in police stores. After a short while, it was discovered that real cops from Miami Police Department are the one who committed this crime of murdering. Within one month after this crime happened, ten police officers were being investigated. At the end of one year, five cops had been arrested in association with this case. By the time this case was over, more than 100 police officers had been fired, suspended or reprimanded due to corruption and arrested. Out of the 100 cops, 20 of them were convicted and imprisoned. These police officers would go down the history of Miami Police Department for being the most notorious gang full of corruption. They used to call themselves the "Miami River Cops" or "The Enterprise" (Mario Perdomo on Real Vice Miami – Miami River cops – FULL EPISODE – con subtítulos en español ,2012). Notably, the Miami River Cops investigation marked the end of the most violent era in the history of Miami City. Currently, all the Miami River Cops have all been released from prison.
Some factors and events contributed to the Miami Police Officers partaking in corrupt activities. First, cocaine was associated with a lot of money. Indeed, Miami City had flourished due to the trade of narcotics. Due to the enormous profit that was made from cocaine trade, the police officers were attempted to take bribes to protect the drug traffickers since they could as well be bribed with a lot of money. Second, Miami police officers were earning less salary. This made them partake in corruption activities so that the can make their ends meet. The police officers after finding a channel they could make extra money there was no way they could hesitate.
After the investigation was conducted and more than 100 cops found to be corrupt. According to me, these officers become corrupt after seeing what others were doing. "The Enterprise" or the "Miami River Cops" as they called themselves were extremely rich beyond their dreams. They had exotic vacations and mistresses (Mario Perdomo on Real Vice Miami – Miami River cops – FULL EPISODE – con subtítulos en español , 2012). In addition, they could drive sports cars and lived in splurging houses. In the real sense, every person would like to have such a luxurious life. Hence, most of the police officers who were found to be corrupt were due to the influence of their fellow police officers who seemed to be successful after engaging in corrupt activities.
The police officers who were found to be guilty due to corruption activities, several steps were taken to them. As stated earlier in the paper, the guilty police officers some of them were convicted and sent to prison, reprimanded, arrested, suspended and fired. These led to the end of corruption scandals in Miami Police Department. Some factors could have led to increased corruption in the Miami Police Department. Once is the enormous profit that was being made from cocaine business as stated earlier in the paper. Thus, the police could be bribed by the drug traffickers to protect them. Second is incompetent police commanders. Police commanders were involved in this business hence there was no way their junior could fail to take the bribe, and their seniors took it.
Baltimore Police Unit had a similar case with the Miami Police Department. Wayne Earl Jenkins who was the head of the rogue Baltimore Police Unit was prisoned for 25 years due to corruption cases while heading the elite squad knows as Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF) (Pratt-Harris et al., 2016). Jenkins was also convicted for falsification of records, racketeering, and robbery. He used to participate in criminal activities with some of his juniors such as selling narcotic drugs like heroin and cocaine. In addition, he could plant drugs on innocent people and accuse them of having in possession of hard drugs the GTTF comprised of eight officers who all of them were charged with various criminal activities such as fraud, robbery, and extortion. The criminal activities of the GTTF has tarnished the name of the Baltimore Police Unit just the way the Miami River Cops tarnished the name of Miami Police Department.
References
Mario Perdomo on Real Vice Miami – Miami River cops – FULL EPISODE – con subtítulos en español [Video file]. (2012, April 13). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_NfrtppY88&feature=youtu.beBa
Pratt-Harris, N. C., Sinclair, M. M., Bragg, C. B., Williams, N. R., Ture, K. N., Smith, B. D., … & Brown, L. (2016).
Police-involved homicide of unarmed Black males: Observations by Black scholars in the midst of the April 2015 Baltimore uprising. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 26(3-4), 377-389.