By AREK SARKISSIAN
HALIFAX MEDIA SERVICES
WALDO | Waldo Police Chief Mike
Szabo resigned Friday evening after two weeks of controversy that began with a
criminal investigation over a secret record¬ing.
"The following comes with
a heavy heart," Szabo wrote in his resignation letter. "Due to the current
situation and the current state of the police department, I, as the chief, feel
that at this point in time it is in the best interest in the City of Waldo for
me to tender my request to resign/retire as your police chief effective this
date at 5 p.m."
It was too early to ponder his
permanent replacement, Waldo City Manager Kim Wor¬ley said.
On Wednesday, Worley signed a
30-day contract with Alachua County Sheriff Sadie Darnell to provide a
temporary commander for Waldo police. For $2,421 a week, Darnell provided the
city of about 1,000 residents with the services of Alachua County sheriff's
Capt. Steve May¬nard.
Worley said the contract would
give her time to find a permanent candidate who does not work for the
depart¬ment.
"We would definitely need to
bring in a professional from the outside," Worley said.
Szabo was suspended from his
job with pay on Aug. 12 after FDLE agents began to investigate an allegation
that he secretly recorded an in-office conversation with another officer.
About a week after Szabo's
suspension, five Waldo police officers told the Waldo City Council they were
under an unlawful ticket quota.
Szabo's interim replacement,
Cpl. Kenneth Smith, also was suspended after officers alleged that he enforced
the ticket quota and used city-owned video cameras to secure the parking lot of
his Waldo apartment.
Szabo was hired by the Waldo
Police Department in 2000 and was appointed to lead the agency seven years ago.
