Retired Chief Commissioner Sergio Solé, 61, said goodbye to the Río Negro Police Headquarters, assuring them that he is leaving "in peace." His departure came after the National Party demanded his removal for having attended a political meeting of the Frente Amplio and for publicly criticizing the transparency of white leaders during the previous administration.
This Wednesday was his last day leading the Fray Bentos Police Department. He told those close to him that, in just five months, Río Negro has achieved outstanding security figures compared to other departments.
The former leader insists he's leaving in peace, ready to relax in Solymar, where he lives just a few meters from the coast, surrounded by his family. "I'm going to enjoy myself, no stress," he repeats when talking about his departure.
Solé maintains that regulations prohibit police officers from holding political demonstrations for up to two years after retiring. He points out that he resigned eight years ago and, as a civilian, is free to express his opinion. Regarding his resignation in Río Negro, he noted that he had a "beautiful meeting" with Interior Minister Carlos Negro and Undersecretary Gabriela Valverde, where he understood the authorities' position.
He and Negro have a long-standing relationship: they worked together between 2003 and 2005, when the current minister was prosecutor in Young and Solé served as commissioner in that city.
Solé's career isn't limited to the police force. He's a percussionist of popular and folk music, plays sports, and is a soccer coach recognized by the Uruguayan Football Association. He often refers to soccer to explain his departure: "It's like a game; sometimes you play and sometimes you're left on the bench. I'm not hurt or sorry. There's freedom of expression," he asserts.
He emphasizes that his record is clean after four decades of service, with no investigations, and that he only lacked the rank of general commissioner. In 2017, when he was close to that promotion, then-Minister Eduardo Bonomi proposed that he take over as Chief of Police of Tacuarembó, his home department.
Upon taking office, he recalled his roots in the López neighborhood and visited the school where he attended elementary school, sharing anecdotes with local children.
In 2018, he testified as a witness in a court case involving a former subordinate, during which he was questioned about "Likes" on National Party Facebook pages. He acknowledged having social media, but said he didn't know how to manage them and that his daughter had set up his profile. The matter had no consequences for him.
In 2020, he left Tacuarembó after receiving the Ministry of the Interior's award for outstanding service. During those years, he claimed to have reduced thefts daily from 15 to five, and then to 4.9, leading the Criminalistics Observatory to recognize Tacuarembó as the safest department in the country. Robberies and homicides also decreased.
He attributes these results to measures such as neighborhood foot patrols, citizen outreach, community service, and the fight against drugs. During his career, he received numerous awards and often says that, if he wanted, he could "hang many badges on his chest."
