A Key West police officer has blown the whistle on Police Chief Gordon "Buz" Dillon, accusing him of condoning perjury by police officers.
Sgt. John Hardy made the allegations in a letter to Mayor Jimmy Weekley and City Manager Julio Avael three weeks ago. He also sent copies to the State Chief Inspector General and the Florida Commission on Human Relations.
"The Chief of Police has used the Internal Affairs section as a means to conceal perjury by serving law enforcement officers instead of correcting the violations of law," Hardy said. "Conspiracy is indicated because other officers have participated with the Chief of Police to conceal perjury and to improperly conduct Internal Affairs investigations."
Following an investigation ordered by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) in June, Dillon admitted that Internal Affairs investigator Bob Christensen found a citizen complaint that Lt. Al Flowers lied in court "unfounded"— without investigating the complaint. Dillon also admitted that Flowers had lied in court— but "unknowingly."
When Key West the Newspaper broke the story that the FDLE had ordered that investigation, Dillon had publisher Dennis Reeves Cooper arrested on June 22. Charges were dropped after a few days, however. Dillon had based the arrest on a law that had been declared unconstitutional 10 years ago. The story made headlines around the world.
"The Internal Affairs section of the Key West Police Department has falsified the fact that internal affairs investigations have been made, of such perjury, when they have not," Hardy said in his letter.
"Witnesses have been given the opportunity to change their sworn statements in the middle of internal affairs investigations, to enable a result against the evidence. No action has been taken against them."
Hardy charged that Dillon uses Internal Affairs to attack some officers, while other officers involved in the same conduct are protected by IA.
"This conduct violates the law because it commits, participates in and condones the crime of perjury," Hardy said. "The conduct is both misfeasance and malfeasance in the conduct of official investigations because it fails to investigate the improper behavior that is referred to IA and it improperly uses IA to protect wrong-doers."
Hardy asked for a formal investigation.
KWTN has also learned that Hardy has been notified that he will be transferred to the midnight shift, effective October 1. Reportedly, he will be reporting to a junior sergeant who has been made an acting lieutenant.
KWTN reported last June 15 that Hardy has been the target of an IA investigation for allegedly leaking information to the press.