Boca Raton City Hall had a jolt on Thursday when City Manager Mark Sohaney announced that Police Chief Michele Miuccio and two deputy city managers were out of their jobs. Assistant Chief Elizabeth Roberts was tapped as acting police chief to steer the department while the city figures out its next move.
What the city announced
In a letter to staff, Sohaney described the shakeup as a “strategic organizational realignment” intended to better match the executive team with the city’s operational priorities. He stressed that the decisions “are not disciplinary in nature.” The city also said Assistant Chief Roberts will “lead the department during this transition,” according to WPBF.
Chief's background
Michele Miuccio joined the Boca Raton Police Department in 1989 and worked her way up over more than three decades of service. The city’s command-staff listing notes her role as chief and lists the assistant chief who will take over day-to-day operations, according to the City of Boca Raton.
Deputy city managers also depart
Two deputy city managers, Chrissy Gibson and Jorge Camejo, were also removed from their roles as part of Sohaney’s realignment. The city manager’s letter said other deputies, Andy Lukasik and James Zervis, remain in place, according to WPBF.
Timing and political backdrop
The overhaul comes in the middle of a busy political week for Boca Raton. Voters rejected a proposed public safety bond and a downtown redevelopment lease earlier in the week, according to local reporting from WFLX. The mayoral race is also headed for a recount after the top two candidates finished separated by only a handful of votes, as covered by WLRN.
Who is leading the department now
Assistant Chief Elizabeth Roberts joined the department in 2005 as a patrol officer and has since held several leadership roles, including captain of the Support Services Bureau. The City of Boca Raton’s command-staff page lists Roberts as the department’s assistant chief and identifies her as the acting leader during the transition, according to the City of Boca Raton.
What to watch next
Sohaney’s letter frames the moves as organizational and focused on strengthening operations, but the city has not released a timeline for naming permanent replacements. City Hall did not provide further public comment Thursday night. Residents and the incoming city leaders will be watching how the administration fills the vacancies and how the pending mayoral recount affects the next steps.
