PORT ST. LUCIE – Three Port St. Lucie police officers are on paid administrative leave as of Aug. 11 regarding two separate incidents about campaign signs for the mayor’s race that occurred earlier in August in the area of Southwest Airoso Boulevard, Port St. Lucie.
Lt. Aaron Martin; Lt. Jason Vega; and Det. Sgt. Joseph Alves are on paid administrative leave while the investigation into the campaign signs issues continue, according to a press release from Port St. Lucie Police.
Chief Leo Niemczyk reviewed the facts and timeline surrounding the two incidents and decided to turn the matter over to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which will launch a criminal investigation into the incidents, according to the news release.
As a result, the police department will not provide more information regarding the investigation or comment on investigative matters being handled by FDLE, it was stated in the news release.
“The Port St. Lucie Police Department remains committed to ensuring all investigations are conducted fairly, impartially, and in accordance with the department’s longstanding commitment to integrity, professionalism, and accountability,” it was stated in the news release.
Once FDLE has completed its investigation, the local police’s internal affairs investigation will then get underway, according to the news release.
In the first incident on Aug. 5, near the intersection of Southwest Airoso Boulevard and Southwest Thanksgiving Avenue, Port St. Lucie, a sergeant saw Steven Giordano, one of three candidates for the office of mayor, and an unidentified woman near political campaign signs at a home, according to police reports.
The sergeant started an investigation after discovering one campaign sign on the ground, while another was placed in the yard.
Surveillance video appears to show Giordano and the woman arrive at the home and go to the campaign signs displayed in the yard, according to police reports. The video also shows the woman remove a campaign sign supporting Mayor Shannon Martin and put a different campaign sign in the yard, according to police reports.
In a separate incident on Aug. 7, near Southwest Airoso Boulevard and Southwest Thornhill Drive, officers responded to a disturbance involving placement of political campaign signs.
Upon investigating, officers learned through video surveillance that Aaron Martin – husband of the current mayor – and Giordano were arguing over placement and movement of signs at a nearby home.
Investigators also interviewed the homeowners and learned that both residents believed they had separately granted permission for campaign signs to be placed on the property, according to police reports.