Embattled Margate police chief announces retirement after being put on six-month probation
FORT LAUDERDALE - Embattled Margate Police Chief Joseph Galaska announced Thursday he is retiring after the city voted to put him on a 6-month probation.
Galaska who has been with the department nearly 30 years ran into trouble a few months ago when the city launched a private investigation into text messages he had sent to a ranking officer about another female officer.
The verified texts from the chief said, "She is not the future" and either you (expletive) or you did not - implying the female officer had inappropriately advanced her career. That officer said those texts damaged her reputation and created a hostile work environment.
Last week, Galaska got a 'no confidence' vote from unionized officers. Rod Skirvin, the head of the union representing over one hundred officers, told commissioners in a letter that the chief needs to resign.
Skirvin claims the chief is part of "a pervasive culture of sexism and discrimination."
On Wednesday, the city's commission voted to put the chief on six months probation, cut his pay, and be given retraining.
A motion to terminate him failed.
Before the vote, Galaska apologized for the texts and said there were some changes he would like to make within the department but he needed the city's support.
Click here to read his request-to-retire-employment letter.
