Miami - The Miami chief of police resigned yesterday amid an escalating city government shake-up caused by last Saturday's raid to remove Elian Gonzalez.
"I refuse to be chief of police in a city that has someone as divisive and destructive as Joe Carollo as mayor," said Mr William O'Brien. Mr Carollo had strongly criticised Mr O'Brien for failing to give him advance warning about the raid and for sending a city police officer to accompany federal agents.
Mr O'Brien has said the presence of the officer was necessary to avoid a shoot-out between the federal agents and local police, who needed an assurance the operation was not a private commando raid but a legitimate operation.