Surfside Police Officer Marianne Howard has lived in Surfside most of her life. Her family has lived there since the ’50s.

“For me, it was a dream come true to work in Surfside and serve as an officer there,” said Officer Marianne Howard.

But on August 10th, 2021, she responded to a call made by the former Surfside Mayor who claimed there were people playing loud music on the beach. The encounter was cringe-worthy and shameless, to say the least, and it tested Officer Howard's professionalism, though despite properly handling the call, officer Howard said once she brought up her concerns, she was taken off the force.

She said Surfside Police Capt. Antonio Marciante, her direct boss, has been sexually harassing her since 2019. It’s why she said she never went public about Burkett on the beach.

“That’s the reason why I did not come forward then,” said Howard. 

She was worried about retaliation at work, where Howard alleges she has been “objectified, violated, humiliated.”

With her attorney Ignacio Alvarez, at the Police Benevolent Association of South Florida, she told 7News about a night in 2019 during a meeting with Marciante.

“He gave me a hug and lingered. Then his head moved down to my neck, and that’s when he kissed me on the neck a couple of times,” said Howard. “I pulled away and went straight to my car and left.”

7News asked Howard how that incident made her feel. 

“Very uncomfortable, violated,” responded Howard.  

As he built mailboxes at the police station in 2021…

“Having things stuffed down my shirt, it was just inappropriate,” said Howard. “There is still a level of respect that you expect from a superior.”

In 2022, Howard said she took her concerns to the new police chief, Rogelio Torres Jr., and weeks later, she was relieved of duty saying they “Would be taking my gun and my badge,” said Howard.

“Departmental Policy Violations,” which have not been made clear, were the reasons why she was told she was suspended.

She is currently on paid leave but wants to work again.

If you believe Officer Howard deserves to be back in uniform, back on the road, and back working for the community that she loves, please sign this petition to tell Surfside Police Department and the Town of Surfside, that we want her back!

 

View the WSVN Reports:

Surfside officer who received uncomfortable comments from former mayor speaks out

https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/surfside-officer-who-received-uncomfortable-comments-from-former-mayor-speaks-out/

 

Surfside says former police officer’s claims about former mayor, captain ‘not substantiated’ 

https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/surfside-former-police-officers-claims-about-former-mayor-captain-not-substantiated/

This article shows how Surfside investigated four sexual harassment complaints in a year yet nothing was done about them. This is a culture of malfeasance that we can not allow to continue…
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article262299757.html

 

View the full bodycam footage: