Miami Seaside commissioner says visitors cease is tied to feud with police over investigation; FOP says he’s attacking division – WSVN 7News | Miami Information, Climate, Sports activities

MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) – A Miami Beach city commissioner is accusing the police department of retaliation after he was pulled over while driving a golf cart. Still, the Fraternal Order of Police said he’s using the traffic stop to discredit the department.

Commissioner David Suarez said his concerns began after he reviewed the department’s handling of the investigation into multiple Miami Beach Police officers regarding explicit texts exchanged between the officers that span years.

“When I see child sex abuse material being transmitted between officers while on duty, working at schools and working with youth programs, myself—along with any parent—is gonna be extra sensitive to that,” he said.

On Wednesday, Suarez posted a video to YouTube where he questions how the police department handled the investigation and the officers who were investigated.

“Multiple Miami Beach Police officers, exchanging hundreds of sexually explicit images and videos,” he said in the video.

The investigation ended in written reprimands in 2024, but no criminal charges or firing resulted from the probe.

Among the officers named in the 2024 administrative action form are Major Steve Feldman, who has been mentioned as a potential candidate to replace Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne Jones, and Officer Pedro Socarras. Both were issued written warnings.

But Suarez said the officers should’ve faced more serious consequences.

“They should be fired,” he said.

Miami Beach Fraternal Order of Police President Bobby Hernandez disputes Suarez’s characterization of the investigation.

“Had nothing to do with child pornography. So I’m disturbed at the fact that he puts out a video this morning,” said Hernandez.

Hernandez also questioned why Suarez is raising the issue two years after the fact.

“If he’s so concerned about the way it was handled, how come he waited until he got four citations?” asked Hernandez.

Those citations stem from a June traffic stop involving Suarez. Body camera footage shows Socarras pulling the commissioner over while he was driving a golf cart with his family on Washington Avenue.

During the stop, Socarras tells Suarez he was stopped for using his phone while driving.

“You can’t be typing into your phone while you’re driving,” said Socarras on body camera footage.

Ultimately, Suarez was cited for texting and driving, not wearing a seatbelt, and registration violations.

Suarez tells 7News he called Jones during the stop because he believed it was taking too long.

“When the officer, who I am investigating, pulls me over for a seatbelt violation and holds me on the road for 45 minutes, there’s something wrong with that,” said Suarez.

The commissioner said the circumstances of the traffic stop were concerning because Socarras is one of the officers involved in the investigation that he had been examining.

“There are politically connected insiders within the police department that get special treatment,” said Suarez.

When asked whether he was also seeking special treatment by having the chief on speed dial, Suarez rejected that characterization.

Suarez also said he knows that when Socarras conducted that traffic stop in June, he was already aware of the commissioner’s probe.

“Word gets out quickly in the police department. I was investigating not only that officer, but the other officers that were involved,” he said.

But that account is strongly disputed by Hernandez, who said the commissioner is using the traffic stop to attack the police department.

“No! It’s to disparage the police officer! It’s to discredit the police department! He has a history of doing this!” said Hernandez.

Suarez, meanwhile, maintains that the June traffic stop and the internal affairs investigation are connected.

The dispute has now become a public clash between Suarez and the police department.

When asked about criticism that he is constantly involved in conflicts, Suarez pointed back to the investigation.

“Listen, I’m not the one sending child sex abuse material to each other,” he said. “If there was no child pornography, why don’t they just release it to the media and complain about it?”

In a statement to 7News, the Miami Beach Police Department said:

The Miami Beach Police Department unequivocally condemns the conduct by the officers involved in this matter. Such conduct is inconsistent with our values and our professional standards. 

This matter was not ignored, dismissed or left without consequence. The allegations were thoroughly investigated, policy violations were sustained, and discipline was imposed in accordance with departmental policy and the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights. We will not excuse or defend conduct that falls short of our standards. 

Accountability is not measured solely by whether criminal charges are filed. The Department has a responsibility to address misconduct based on the evidence and to impose discipline that is lawful and capable of withstanding independent review. 

Our responsibility is to follow the facts, uphold our standards and ensure accountability through a fair and lawful process. 

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