Sgt. Salabarria served the residents of Miami Beach for 10 years, before being unjustly terminated in January of 2021. Sgt. Salabarria has reported numerous instances of sexual harassment and retaliatory treatment through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on three different occasions, as the retaliatory treatment continued in excess throughout her tenure.

In response, the City terminated her employment after one of her known documented harassers fabricated baseless allegations against her that were not based on any facts in 2020.

Prior to these baseless allegations while under duress and threats to terminate employment, Sgt. Salabarria forced to sign a last chance agreement due to allegations that remained uninvestigated and unresolved. Threats were made to terminate employment unless she agreed to only their terms with no objections from her. Sgt. Salabarria was not properly represented and all of her officer bill of rights were violated. All of her objections were denied by inadequate representation and was ill advised by them. Repeated requests for proper representation was denied and was told the LCA was non negotiable. She was later accused of baseless and premeditated allegations on her  return back to work on the very first day after signing the forced upon LCA.

Sgt. Salabarria was terminated solely on those malicious, fabricated, alleged allegations that were never investigated by the department. The decision to terminate was solely based on allegations that were never investigated or proven to have even occurred.

The employee that accused Sgt. Salabarria of the policy violation has harassed her sexually in the past, culminating in sending her a sexually explicit and perverse greeting card. Sgt. Salabarria was rightfully mortified of the harassment she endured and had come forward as a result. This fear of retaliation ultimately proved to be very well-founded as she was wrongfully terminated.

Despite this, Sgt. Salabarria’s desire to serve her community remains strong. Sgt. Salabarria has been one of the most effective supervisors at MBPD, and is loved by all that she has supervised and worked with.

Sgt. Salabarria is fighting for the opportunity to serve the residents of Miami Beach again, and this petition is intended to show the City administration just how much support for her exists within the agency.