PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Meals probe puts officers’ jobs in limbo

Skipping out on a few bills at a restaurant could soon cost two Bradenton Police officers their jobs, according to authorities.

An internal investigation will begin Monday against Chris D. Roden, 28, and Timothy S. Miller, 26, who allegedly left Gecko’s Grill and Pub, 4310 S.R. 64 E., without paying for meals on numerous occasions while on duty, according to court documents.

The officers remain employed by the department, but have been on unpaid suspension since Jan. 25, said Bradenton Police Deputy Chief William Tokajer.

The State Attorney’s Office recently declined to file criminal charges against the officers. Arrest charges had been forwarded from the police department to prosecutors, according to court documents.

“We felt strong enough we sent paperwork to the State Attorney’s Office for them to be charged,” Tokajer said. “The decline doesn’t mean they didn’t commit the crime. It doesn’t mean we don’t have a major obligation to the community to investigate this fully and hold our police officers to the highest standards and that their integrity is beyond reproach.”

Now both officers could face termination, Tokajer said. The internal investigation is expected to take approximately two weeks.

“We have to wait on the outcome of the department investigation,” he said. “Throughout our (criminal) investigation we found they did leave an establishment without paying.”

Chief Assistant State Attorney Ed Brodsky, who reviewed the case, said a decline was issued because the police department planned to impose “internal administrative sanctions” against the officers, and the restaurant’s general manager did not want to press charges.

“We took the complaint very seriously,” Brodsky said.

The investigation was initiated Jan. 6 after another police officer was told by a Gecko’s waiter that Miller and Roden failed to pay for meals about four to five times, Tokajer said.

Investigators were able to document at least three such occurrences, two with Roden and one with Miller, after pulling department communication records and restaurant transactions, Tokajer said.

According to court documents, on Oct. 17, Roden exited without paying for a food bill of $10.95. On Dec. 16, he ate $8.51 in food and exited without paying for his meal. On the same date, Miller ate $6.91 in food and exited the restaurant without paying. Both faced charges of obtaining food with the intent to defraud.

“There is no evidence that Officer Roden returned and made payment to the business for either of these purchases. There were other on-duty police officers present when these crimes occurred, and they did not witness Officer Roden make payment on either of the above dates,” court documents said.

Roden faced an additional charge of tampering with a witness after he reportedly told a Gecko’s waiter and another officer that he was a suspect in the case and that he couldn’t pay for his meal on one occasion because of a shooting call, court documents said.