TAMARAC, Fla. – A Tamarac commissioner used an awards ceremony to publicly berate a Broward Sheriff's Office deputy who arrested him years earlier.
During Wednesday's commission meeting, officer of the month awards were being handed out by Tamarac Mayor Michelle Gomez and the city's leadership.
Following a group photo with the law enforcement officers, Commissioner Mike Gelin took the microphone from Gomez and called Deputy Joshua Gallardo back down to the front.
After quick pleasantries, Gelin surprised Gallardo with a tirade over what he believed to have been a false arrest in 2015.
"You probably don't remember me, but you're the police officer who falsely arrested me four years ago," Gelin said. "You lied on the police report. I believe you're a rogue police officer. You're a bad police officer, and you don't deserve to be here."
Gallardo simply smiled and walked off while the mayor and other commissioners stood in stunned silence.
"Completely shocked. This was not something we were expecting," Gomez told Local 10 News. "It was supposed to be a wonderful morning. We were giving the awards for the BSO deputies of the month. It was supposed to be a feel-good time."
Gomez took the microphone from Gelin after the incident and expressed her support for all the officers in attendance and those who protect South Florida.
According to LawEnforcementToday.com, Gelin was arrested for resisting arrest without violence in 2014 by Gallardo after he refused to remain clear of a scene in which a man had been found beaten.
The state attorney did not move forward with case and the charges were eventually dropped.
"When I shared my video with the state attorney's office to prove that I did nothing wrong, they declined to file charges against me," Gelin told Local 10. "I had a productive conversation with the sheriff yesterday and I will try to resolve things and move forward."
Gallardo was being honored for his role in the April arrest of a gang member wanted for murder in El Salvador who was in the country illegally.