MOUNT DORA, Fla — A former Mount Dora police officer who was fired last month is appealing his termination after being accused of falsifying records and untruthfulness.
Victor Uvalle’s attorneys claim he was made a scapegoat in an investigation that began in April, and he has officially filed an appeal to regain his position.
“It’s problematic that you are making the determination,” said Uvalle’s attorney, Christopher Pace, who is requesting that the police chief recuse himself from the appeals process.
The internal affairs investigation into Uvalle was sparked by an email, leading to his termination. Mount Dora Police Chief Mike Gibson accused Uvalle of unsatisfactory performance, falsification of records, conduct unbecoming and untruthfulness.
Uvalle was the custodian of the internal investigation logs and had access to the internal investigation files, which is contrary to his testimony that he had no access to disciplinary records. This was a key point in the decision to terminate his employment.
The case stems from the investigation into former Mount Dora police officer Barry Strykowski. Back in April, Strykowski was hired by the Oakland Police Department while under investigation for misrepresenting his time in Mount Dora.
An email from the Mount Dora Police Department stated that Strykowski had no open cases and no discipline on his record, leading to his hiring and promotion to sergeant. Uvalle, who sent the email, alleges that the wording was cleared by Gibson, who later fired him.
Uvalle’s attorney has asked for the chief to recuse himself from the appeal process, which he also wanted during the initial investigation process.
The city manager, who reportedly oversees the appeal, also signed off on the original termination.
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