MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Miami Gardens Police Chief Antonio Brooklen is set to step down from his post on Oct. 1 in order to focus on his mother’s "fragile health condition" and his family.
"The last few months have been challenging because I have been dealing with my mother's fragile health condition and I feel that my attention and time is needed elsewhere," Brooklen wrote in his resignation letter. "Life is fleeting and it was evidenced when my officer's wife died suddenly while working out recently. Situations such as this help put life into perspective. At this time, my family must come first. My mother, wife and children are my heart and I live for them."
Recommended Videos
Brooklen, who has worked in law enforcement for 22 years, calls working in Miami Gardens a "dream come true."
File: Antonio Brooklen Resignation Letter
Brooklen grew up in Miami Gardens and has been with the city's police department since it began in 2007. He promised in his resignation letter to continue to serve his community as a volunteer.
"I have dedicated my life to public service, while losing precious time with my four daughters and family, so I feel it is time for me to take control of my career and its trajectory," he wrote.
Brooklen said he prays that his work in Miami Gardens has "raised the bar in policing," and calls the men and women in his department "simply the best."
"While I have my challenges and have made some mistakes, these officers have continuously stepped up to the plate to ensure positive change," he wrote. "I salute and thank them or working with me while also allowing me to lead them."
Brooklen worked with the Miami-Dade County Police Department early in his career before being hired in Miami Gardens.
In 2009, allegations of sexual harassment caused Brooklen to be demoted from major to captain following a internal affairs investigation. That same year, Brooklen was suspended for 30 days without pay after an internal affairs investigation revealed he'd had relations with a former colleague, according to a Miami Herald report.
Brooklen became chief in 2015 after taking over for former chief Stephen Johnson, who'd been arrested in a prostitution sting and was subsequently fired.
Assistant Chief Cynthia Dawson Machanic will serve as the acting chief while the department searches for a new police chief.