Hialeah Mayor Bryan Calvo, 28, was issued citations on June 14 after being pulled over for an improper left turn in Coconut Grove, Miami. The traffic stop escalated when the arresting officer noticed the Chevrolet SUV Calvo was driving was equipped with flashing red and blue police lights.

Officer Yasmani Gonzalez informed Calvo that activating police lights without being a sworn law enforcement officer is a criminal offense. Body camera footage captured the exchange, during which the officer stated, "That's a criminal offense, and I can easily take you to jail." The officer also reminded Calvo that holding elected office does not grant immunity from lawless behavior, emphasizing, "If you're not a police officer, don't activate police lights."

According to Florida statute, vehicles are generally prohibited from displaying blue lights visible from the front unless authorized under state law, such as for law enforcement or emergency-response vehicles. The officer warned Calvo that the offense could be considered a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Instead of an arrest, Calvo received citations for the improper turn and the prohibited emergency lights. Court records indicate Calvo has pleaded not guilty to both violations.

Questions have arisen regarding why the mayor was driving a police-issued SUV equipped with functioning emergency lights. Calvo, who became Hialeah's mayor last November and is the youngest mayor in Florida, stated that the vehicle belonged to the Hialeah Police Department and the emergency equipment was installed before he took office. "One citation relates to a traffic maneuver and the second concerns equipment that was installed on a vehicle owned by and registered to the Hialeah Police Department, a vehicle that was refitted before I took office and before the vehicle was assigned to me," Calvo said in a statement.

Mayor of Hialeah since last November, Bryan Calvo, 28, allegedly activated the emergency lights on his unmarked Hialeah Police Department vehicle while sporting an unauthorized Hialeah Police shirt, during a traffic stop in Coconut Grove on June 14

This incident is not Calvo's first encounter with traffic violations. In July 2023, while serving as a Hialeah council member, Calvo was stopped for allegedly failing to stop at a traffic signal. That case was later dismissed at the request of the citing officer. The current citations, however, involve more serious allegations and are likely to increase scrutiny of Calvo's driving conduct.