MIAMI – Jose R. Acosta, a rookie officer with the Miami Police Department, has been fired after he was arrested Friday night, accused of stealing from people during traffic stops.
"The officer was charged with one count of armed robbery of a conveyance and one count of grand theft," Deputy Chief Luis Cabrera said.
Miami police said Acosta, 22, has been on the force since May and was most recently patrolling the Wynwood neighborhood.
Sources have told Local 10 News that Acosta was taken into custody after a sting operation was conducted by Miami police's internal affairs division and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
"The city of Miami Police Department will not tolerate actions that betray the oath of our office as public servants and contradict our duty to serve and to protect our communities," Cabrera said.
Acosta was booked into jail on charges of burglary and grand theft, but he was later released after posting bond Saturday night.
The arrest follows the department's firing of three other rookie police officers -- Kevin Bergnes, Miguel Valdes and Bruce Alcin -- after they were accused of joking about using the city's primarily black neighborhoods for target practice.