William O'Brien (police officer)

{{Short description|American police officer}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2019}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}

William O'Brien (March 10, 1944 – March 3, 2016) was an American police officer who served as the 21st police chief of Miami, Florida, from 1998 until 2000. O'Brien served as a Miami Police Department police officer for more than 25 years, including 18 years as a member of the city's SWAT team and two years as chief.{{cite web|url=http://miamiarchives.blogspot.com/2010/12/miamis-police-chiefs-troubled-history.html|title=Miami Archives - Tracing the rich history of Miami, Miami Beach and the Florida Keys: Miami's police chiefs: a troubled history|last=Bill|date=December 16, 2010|website=miamiarchives.blogspot.com|access-date=February 6, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.local10.com/news/list-of-miami-police-chiefs-since-1921|title=List of Miami police chiefs since 1921|author=|date=December 15, 2014|website=WPLG|access-date=February 6, 2019}}{{cite news|first=Alex|last=Harris|title=Former Miami Police Chief Bill O'Brien dies at his Tavernier home

|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article64228262.html |work=Miami Herald |date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=March 21, 2016}} He resigned as chief on April 28, 2000, in the aftermath of the Elián González custody battle raid.{{cite news|first=Rick|last=Bragg|title=Miami Police Chief Quits in Raid Fallout

|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/04/29/us/miami-police-chief-quits-in-raid-fallout.html |work=New York Times |date=2000-04-29 |access-date=2016-03-21}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2000/04/29/police-chief-resigns-in-elian-controversy/d6724531-7c51-4861-b0bd-ae7da5ea8f05/ |title=Police Chief Resigns In Elian Controversy |date=2000-04-29 |author1=Sue Anne Pressley |newspaper=The Washington Post |place=Washington, D.C. |issn=0190-8286 |oclc=1330888409}}{{cite web|url=http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/elian/brooks.htm|title=2nd top Miami officer may leave|author=|date=|website=www.latinamericanstudies.org|accessdate=February 6, 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0004/28/se.01.html|title=CNN Transcript - Special Event: Miami Police Chief Retires - April 28, 2000|author=|date=|website=www.cnn.com|access-date=February 6, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2000-05-02-0005020122-story.html|title=MIAMI APPOINTS CUBAN-BORN EX-COP AS NEW POLICE CHIEF|first=Tribune News|last=Services|date=May 2, 2000|website=chicagotribune.com|access-date=February 6, 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/miami-in-turmoil-as-police-chief-quits-over-elian-279560.html|title=Miami in turmoil as police chief quits over Elian|author=|date=April 29, 2000|website=The Independent|access-date=February 6, 2019}} The resignation has been studied as a case in criminal justice and political ethics.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2000-05-02-0005030230-story.html|title=Ethnic politics in Miami; Mayor Carollo: Grandstanding flouted law and order and risked safety of Elian Gonzalez.|first=Baltimore|last=Sun|date=May 2, 2000|website=baltimoresun.com|access-date=February 6, 2019}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xnL9DEDY_4MC&q=William+O%27Brien+Miami+police+chief&pg=PA312|title=Ethics in Criminal Justice: In Search of the Truth|first=Sam S.|last=Souryal|date=October 29, 2010|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781437755916|access-date=February 6, 2019|via=Google Books}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EHwnbpOPc9EC&q=William+O%27Brien+Miami+police+chief&pg=PA257|title=Adrift: The Cuban Raft People|first=Alfredo Antonio|last=Fernández|date=February 6, 2019|publisher=Arte Publico Press|isbn=9781611920550|access-date=February 6, 2019|via=Google Books}} He was highly critical of the Miami mayor's handling of the situation, leading to his forced resignation.{{cite web|url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/807188/Miami-police-chief-quits-calls-mayor-divisive-and-destructive.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180930150059/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/807188/Miami-police-chief-quits-calls-mayor-divisive-and-destructive.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 30, 2018|title=Miami police chief quits, calls mayor 'divisive and destructive' Turmoil escalates a day after city manager was fired|author=|date=April 29, 2000|website=DeseretNews.com|access-date=February 6, 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2000-04-29-0004290035-story.html|title=MORE CHAOS IN MIAMI - TOP COP RESIGNS|first=Rick Bragg new york|last=times|date=|newspaper=Orlando Sentinel|access-date=February 6, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/police-chief-resigns-in-elian-row-1.265393?mode=amp|title=Police chief resigns in Elian row|author=|date=|website=www.irishtimes.com|access-date=February 6, 2019}}

Bill O'Brien, who was raised in La Grange, Illinois, first moved to Miami to study political science at the University of Miami. He then joined the United States Air Force for five years, during which he piloted C-130 Hercules in combat during the Vietnam War. O'Brien sought to become a professional pilot after the war, but could not find a job in the field during the oil embargo in 1973. Instead, O'Brien became a police officer, despite his dislike of guns.

O'Brien died from throat cancer at his home in Tavernier, Florida, on March 3, 2016, at the age of 71.