He left the department and, four months after the incident, was hired as police chief in Woodstock, Georgia. There, three of his subordinates asked elected officials to stop his bullying and disrespectful behavior. Former Woodstock Police Officer Francie Chambers, interviewed by New Times, said Moss's attitude prompted her resignation. "He was always screaming and cursing at me," she said. "He created an atmosphere of fear. He has a propensity toward abusing people."
A December 19, 2006 internal complaint filed by Woodstock Police Officer Shane Collie against Moss alleges the chief pushed the cop in the back and nearly knocked him down at a crime scene in front of other police personnel. Moss allegedly told the officer to "go somewhere and sit the fuck down," according to the complaint. It's unclear whether he was disciplined for the behavior, but in 2008, Woodstock City Manager Jeff Moon asked Moss to resign or be terminated. "My management style and [Moss's] style are completely different," Moon said, before declining to comment further.
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But somehow Moss landed in the driver's seat of Miami Dade College's basic training program December 18, 2009, when he was offered the director's job. The students and instructors interviewed by New Times say that since Moss took over, he has broken academy rules and bullied female employees.
Also, the anonymous critics contend, Moss has given more hours to favored instructors, including Manuel Arrebola, an ex-cop with a terrible track record. Arrebola was terminated from the Opa-locka Police Department in 1992 after admitting he and another officer severely beat a suspect. Prosecutors agreed to not charge Arrebola with a crime in exchange for his testimony against his partner, who was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Another favorite, the officers claim, is Acie Mitchell, who resigned from the Sweetwater Police Department following an internal investigation that revealed he had been using his department-issued credit card to fuel his personal vehicle, according to his personnel file.
Arrebola and Mitchell declined to comment.
The dozen present and former cops also complain Moss and Mitchell used ammunition paid for by students and the college for personal target practice this past October. "Under Moss's predecessor, an instructor was reprimanded one time for using school ammo for personal target practice," an ex-firearms instructor notes. "Yet Moss goes out there, pulls students off the line, so he and Mitchell can fire their rounds even though they were not teaching a class."
Most recently, the critics add, he cursed out and belittled School of Justice employee Marelyn Benedetto on February 24 because she would not add one of his cronies to the payroll system. Moss, they contend, had not submitted the proper paperwork. Benedetto, who filed a complaint with Moss's supervisor, Hector Garcia, declined to comment. An email from Benedetto to Garcia immediately following the incident says, "I would like to meet with you in reference to an issue that happened this morning with Richard Moss. He was unprofessional and unfair in front of colleagues and students. This is the second time, and he has never treated any other colleague in such a manner."
New Times last week provided a list of 20 questions regarding Moss and the accusations against him to Miami Dade College spokesman Juan Mendieta. Despite repeated calls and emails over four days seeking the answers, none were provided. "Please be patient and responses will be provided in the coming days through my office," Mendieta said.
Moss's critics want the college to get rid of the director. "How he got hired with all the incidents in his record is baffling," says a former defensive tactics teacher. "He's creating a hostile work environment."
Another teacher says employee morale is down. "People fear for their jobs," he says. "The atmosphere is very tense."
A former firearms instructor at the school adds that Moss is "the worst director that has been here... There is a lot about his attitude and demeanor that is not conducive to law enforcement, let alone a learning environment," he says. "What the hell was the college doing when they hired this guy?"
