DORAL, FLA. (WSVN) - A senior-level Doral Police officer said he was forced off the force, less than two months after the dismissal of another high-ranking officer at the department.
Speaking with 7News on Friday, former Doral Police Deputy Chief Manuel Arrebola said he thinks he knows why he was fired.
“I think that there is some political thing going on there in the city, something to do with the previous mayor’s pension being taken away, and all this is retaliation,” he said. “I haven’t told to this day why I was fired.”
Arrebola, a 38-year veteran, spent the last year as Doral Police’s second-in-command. He was let go less than a week after 7News interviewed another officer booted from the department: Jose Seiglie.
“This has taken a toll,” Seiglie told 7News before he broke down in tears.
Sieglie, a veteran of more than 40 years and former Doral Police administrator, filed a $2 million lawsuit against the city and Doral Mayor Christi Fraga for compensation and his job back.
The seething Sieglie, 66, slammed his former place of work, its current chief, Edwin Lopez, and Arrebola.
When asked whether he was fired because of the story that 7News aired about Sieglie and his lawsuit, Arrebola said, “They’re totally unrelated.”
When 7News asked Sieglie why he was fired, he replied, “For calling the police chief ‘a lightweight’ and the deputy chief ‘a piece of [expletive].’”
When asked again whether Sieglie’s comments and anything to do with the department’s decision, Arrebola said, “I don’t know.”
Arrebola reiterated he doesn’t think the firings are connected, adding Sieglie’s termination was likely linked to a foul-mouthed rant to Doral’s city manager .
“They escorted me to my house like a common criminal, after 45 years in this profession, to pick up my uniforms, like if I was some kind of freaking criminal,” said Sieglie.
“I would say ‘unhinged’ is pretty accurate,” said Arrebola.
Despite being at odds, both Arrebola and Sieglie have something in common: they were both fired by the respective city managers in power at the time.
Doral’s current city manager, Rey Valdes, responded to 7News’ inquiry about Arrebola’s firing by stating:
“As a matter of personal policy, I do not discuss personnel matters.”
Doral City Manager Rey Valdes
As of late Friday night, neither Fraga nor Lopez have responded to 7News’ requests for comment.
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