BPD officers resign in light of probe

BRADENTON — Two Bradenton Police Department officers resigned after they were accused of skipping out on their bills at a local restaurant, according to an internal affairs report released Thursday.

Chris D. Roden, 28, and Timothy S. Miller, 26, both resigned after police found the officers broke departmental policy by not paying for meals at Gecko’s Grill and Pub, 4310 S.R. 64 E., late last year.

Roden resigned Feb. 16 and Miller resigned March 10 while they were both out on unpaid suspension, according to letters they submitted to the department.

An investigation began after a Gecko’s waiter complained to another officer about Miller and Roden dining without paying.

As a result of the probe, the department’s policy for dining out was changed.

Previously officers could accept discounted meals if they made an attempt to pay full price.

Since this case, officers are now required to pay full price for all meals, said Bradenton Police Chief Michael Radzilowski.

“I can certainly understand restaurants wanting to do it, Radzilowski said.

“With today’s economy, they are trying to run a business and we’re trying to provide a professional and ethical service. I’m sure they will understand our position.”

In previous interviews with the Herald, Gecko’s management said they had offered law enforcement a 40 percent discount off bills as a way to show them their appreciation for serving the community.

According to receipts dating to October, investigators were able to show three occurrences — two with Roden and one with Miller — where the officers did not pay their bills.

Both officers also faced criminal charges, but the state attorney’s office declined to file last month, citing the restaurant did not want to press charges and the department planned to discipline the officers.

The investigation also revealed the officers could have placed other officers and/or citizens at risk.

While they were eating at the restaurant, they told dispatch they were patrolling neighborhoods miles away, according to authorities.

For example, on Oct. 17, Roden told dispatch he was patrolling a neighborhood in the 600 block of Manatee Avenue East when he was actually eating a bacon cheeseburger at Gecko’s, according to receipt transactions and communications records.

“Our concern was he’s out of his zone. When dispatch calls, they expect him take less than a minute to get to a call. Instead, he would have to take several minutes,” said Deputy Chief William Tokajer.

Both Miller and Roden had run-ins with the law before being hired by BPD, but the case hasn’t changed the department’s hiring standards.

Miller, who was with the department since 2007, was arrested for retail theft as a juvenile on Holmes Beach.

Radzilowski said it’s not uncommon for officers to have prior drug use or prior arrests as a juvenile.

“We run across this all the time,” he said. “Nobody’s perfect. ... Every hire is a shot in the dark. You do the best you can with background investigations. It’s still a crap shot. You don’t know until you get them here and see how they perform. ... Most of them pan out and some of them don’t.”

Roden, who was with the department as an officer since 2008, was fired from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office in 2004 for lying on an arrest report.

“I looked at that case and looked at the totality of it. And from what I read and what I saw, I thought the guy deserved a second chance,” Radzilowski said. “It certainly panned out to be a bad decision. I take full responsibility.”

On Thursday, the officers’ arrest reports and internal affairs reports were forwarded to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The state agency will decide whether or not to revoke the certification for Roden and Miller.