When Miami police brass first found out about officers protecting a sports-betting ring run out of a Liberty City barbershop, they had no idea how bad the resulting federal investigation would turn out.

Eventually, a dozen officers — all from the North District station — were implicated in a two-year investigation by Miami detectives and FBI agents of the off-the-books protection gig and other corruption crimes.

With the criminal side of the embarrassing scheme largely wrapped up, Police Chief Manuel Orosa is now grappling with the continuing challenge of cleaning up the reputation of a department also tainted by a string of controversial police shootings in the inner city.

Orosa told the Miami Herald justice meted out in the North District corruption scandal investigation, which cost nine of the 12 officers their jobs, "hopefully sends a message to the community that we will clean our own house and says to the officers that we will not tolerate any misconduct."