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A day after several
anti-globalization activists called for his resignation, a member of
Miami's Civilian Investigative Panel agreed to step down, saying he
wanted to ''restore credibility'' to the board.
Peter Roulhac said Friday
afternoon that he did not want to taint the CIP's investigative process
by remaining on the board after people have called his credibility into
question.
''I thought long and hard about this.
Last night was a very tough night for me,'' Roulhac said, refering to a
public hearing held Thursday. ``But as long as I am the issue, and not
the policies, procedures and actions of the police department being
fairly investigated, I should remove myself as the issue.''
Roulhac, chairman of the Greater
Miami Chamber of Commerce, resigned a month after coming under fire for
praising Miami Police Chief John Timoney at a chamber luncheon.
As a CIP member, Roulhac would have
been party to an investigation against the Miami Police Department for
its handling of the protests at November's Free Trade Area of the
Americas summit. His decision satisfied anti-FTAA activists who argued
that Roulhac's membership discredited the CIP because he had compromised
his integrity by praising Timoney.
''We're encouraged that Roulhac
decided to restore credibility to an organization that has a very tough
and important task ahead of them,'' said Naomi Archer, spokeswoman for
the Save Our Civil Liberties Campaign, a coalition of civil rights
groups formed after FTAA.
But CIP members expressed
disappointment, both that the issue had gone so far and that they were
losing such an upstanding and well-respected person on the board.
''I think to lose someone with the
stature, integrity and background that Roulhac has is sad,'' said CIP
chairman Larry Handfield. ``It will be difficult to replace him.''
Handfield said while he probably
agrees, in hindsight, that Roulhac should not have made those comments
about Timoney, he believes Roulhac would have proved his objectivity and
fairness if he remained on the board.
The board will now advertise the opening
and interview candidates. The City Commission must confirm the
appointment. Don Bierman, a CIP board member, said it was an unfortunate
turn of events. ''I'm sorry for the circumstances that forced him to
leave,'' Bierman said. ``He was in a position where he wore two hats.
And those two hats just didn't both fit.''
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