Units of the Office of the Chief of Police. Some officers seem to revel in the return fire. The department attracted more than 80 applicants after launching a nationwide search last summer, Lagerbloom said. The city of Fort Lauderdale has fired its police chief Larry Scirotto, who has been in office for less than a year, following allegations of discriminatory practices for promotions. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Fort Lauderdale has named its new Chief of Police. He comes to us at an important moment in law enforcement as departments nationwide work to ensure community trust and that everyone is treated equally and fairly in interactions with officers, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said in a tweet. FLPD had been criticized for its handling of downtown protests. He comes to us at an important moment in law enforcement as departments nationwide work to ensure community trust and that everyone is treated equally and fairly in interactions with officers. Lagerbloom now has a new plan: appoint a new interim chief from outside the department who is not interested in the job. The Fort Lauderdale Police Department has been primarily operating under the direction of Assistant Chief Karen Dietrich since July, when City Manager Chris Lagerbloom demoted former Chief Rick Maglione over statements defending the agencys response to citywide protests for racial justice. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. City News | City of Fort Lauderdale, FL That was the day Lagerbloom demoted longtime chief Rick Maglione to major as protests over the police killing of George Floyd swept the nation. After less than a year on the job, Fort Lauderdale's top cop is being fired after an investigation into employee complaints. But in the fall, things turned sour when Scirotto promoted a list of minority employees. March 4, 2022 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) A Florida police chief has been fired after only about six months on the job following an investigation into several discrimination complaints. "We are pleased to see that the city of Fort Lauderdale is taking allegations of discriminatory practices within the department seriously," Tonja Haddad Coleman said. Hes also a masters degree candidate in Organizational Development and Leadership at Saint Josephs University. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much As of last month, it employed 690 officers out of an authorized strength of 939, leaving more than a quarter of sworn officer positions vacant. Florida police chief fired over discriminaton issues | AP News Scirotto said he has obtained legal counsel and is planning on filing a wrongful termination lawsuit against the city. Fort Lauderdale looks to new police chief to boost trust - Sun Sentinel The promotions I made of minority candidates were because they were exceptional candidates who excelled at every level of the organization, who deserved to be promoted and who were, by the way, happened to be minority not because they were minority., Scirotto was sworn-in as police chief in mid-August last year. I have a vision for the department, Scirotto said at the time. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) Tallahassee's Community Partners Committee narrowed the list of candidates for the city's new chief of police from 17 names to 10 names. Fla. police chief Larry Scirotto fired for favoring non-white officers The investigation into the bias complaints noted that Scirotto once said a conference room wall of photos was "too white and said, Im gonna change that., Another time, when considering a promotion, the investigation found that Scirotto said which one is blacker? The report quoted Scirotto as saying he intended to "consider diversity at every opportunity., Theres everything we have to do in the proper way. The Fort Lauderdale Police Department offers one of the highest starting salaries in Florida ($67,620.80-$104,395.20) and a great retirement structure, great health benefits and a slew of other incentives such as paid time off and department-issued uniforms and equipment. Willie Dennard, captain . Fort Lauderdale Interim Police Chief Stepping Down As Agency - WLRN Again, I go back to the fact that we support a very diverse organization," Lagerbloom said. /end, The city says that interim Chief Patrick Lynn will remain to assist in the transition.. The investigation concluded that during his time as police chief, Scirotto implemented an approach to hiring and promotion that was unfairly focused on minority candidates. News that a chief has finally been chosen was a relief to Fort Lauderdales police officers, said Detective Brandon Diaz, union president. By November, the city had hired a law firm to investigate complaints. The attorney for the four officers who filed the EEOC complaints said in a statement that she hopes the "city continues on this path making improvements within the agency.. Officers would be paid the salary they had when they left but wouldnt receive vacation time or any health, disability and retirement benefits. Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com or on Twitter @Susannah_Bryan. City Manager Chris Lagerbloom shared the news Tuesday with the departments command staff and rank and file. Police say protesters started it all when they threw rocks, bricks and fireworks. Officer Shortage Has LAPD Asking Retirees to Come Back. Orlando police chief withdraws candidacy for top job at Fort Lauderdale Many believed that Chief Scirotto made clear his intention to promote, based on race, gender, or sexual orientation," Lagerbloom said. The fact that hes an external candidate leaves some unknowns. . The Fort Lauderdale Police Department has been primarily operating under the direction of Assistant Chief Karen Dietrich since July, when City Manager Chris Lagerbloom demoted former Chief. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Fort Lauderdale has named its new Chief of Police. FL Sheriff Chases After Suspect During Radio Interview. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. FLPD had been criticized for its handling of downtown protests on May 31 and the aftermath, but Lagerbloom said at the time that there wasnt one event that led to the change. RELATED: Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Rick Maglione removed as officers face scrutiny over protest brutality. Larry Scirotto is expected to join the department in. Engle came under fire after he suggested that a Broward Sheriffs Office deputys death from COVID-19 was linked to his sexuality. Four officers three white and one Hispanic filed EEOC complaints alleging that the chief was promoting unfairly. Other units directly under the Office of the Chief are the FBI Broward County Public Corruption Task Force, the Legal Unit,Performance Analysis and the Police Departments Grants Office. He holds a bachelors degree in criminal justice from Ashworth University and is a masters degree candidate in Organizational Development and Leadership from Saint Josephs University. Det. Larry Scirotto says he promoted minority candidates because they were exceptional not because they were minority. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) A Florida police chief has been fired after only about six months on the job following an investigation into several . He said the context of the comment is built around how do I convince the community that we are an inclusive and diverse organization if this wall is so white? the report said. Luis Cabrera, deputy chief in Miami. He joined Davies police department as chief soon after where he served until 2017. The Office of the Chief is also responsible for the overall management and operation of the Support Services Bureau, the Investigations Bureau and the Operations Bureau. Check out the resumes of 10 Fort Myers police chief candidates I stand with my Jewish friends, and Im honored to be on your hit list. Retired cop from Pittsburgh tapped to lead Fort Lauderdale Police Starting Monday, April 4, Patrick Lynn will take over the department, announced Fort Lauderdale City Manager Chris Lagerbloom. That sense of urgency is not lost on Lagerbloom, who met with the union last week to give them an update on the search. College Degrees Designed for Police Officers, Best Practices for Active Shooter Response and Police Training, The Tennessee Department of Public Safety Increased Visibility, Accountability and Accuracy with Inventory Management Software Designed Specifically for Law Enforcement, DC Mayor Taps Veteran Metro Officer as Next Police Chief, After Murders of Officers in Charlotte Area NC Chiefs Ask Governor to Condemn Attacks on Police, CA Sheriff Defies Judge's Order to Release Violent Inmates Over COVID, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Chief Tests Positive for COVID-19, Chicago Police Superintendent Announces Resignation. Interviewed by officials, Scirotto denied asking which candidate was blacker when deciding on the promotion, but admitted to making comments about the wall of staff photos being too white because, he felt, it did not reflect the ethnically diverse community the police department serves. He then rose through the ranks retiring as the citys Deputy Chief in 2007. "You came to the wrong county. But in an interview with Miamis 7News, Scirotto denied that he had made promotions based on minority-status. During the search, we learned that there might be several additional candidates who were interested in the position but chose not to apply out of respect for the interim chief. He did talk about wanting to hire from outside to bring in fresh energy., [RELATED: Pop his ass. Bodycam videos show protesters throwing things at police. The list of semi-finalists represented a lot of talent both within and outside the department, Mayor Dean Trantalis said. October 9, 2019. Protestors assemble outside Fort Lauderdale Police Department headquarters on Sept 27, 2020. 2. The City of Fort Lauderdale is an Equal Opportunity Employer.-, Fort Lauderdale Police Department, 1300 W Broward Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 | Tel: 954-828-5700 | Internal Affairs: 954-828-6956 |Site Map, 2023 Fort Lauderdale Police Department | Created by Vision Internet Innovators of Online Government. Thats not the case, and it never was. He told CNN the report that triggered his termination from the department was vague on the facts. NBC 6's Julie Leonardi reports, Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. [RELATED: Fort Lauderdales interim police chief vows to reform troubled department], Unfortunately, the current recruitment process did not produce a finalist list that contained enough candidates to continue moving it forward, Lagerbloom wrote. "I think our community was really excited changing the culture of what we had experienced here in our police department.. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Scirotto had been accused of overlooking white. Aurora police chief semifinalist for Fort Lauderdale top cop job The Sun Sentinel reports the list of candidates includes Interim Chief Karen Dietrich, a veteran Fort Lauderdale officer who came up through the ranks; Craig Capri, former chief in Daytona Beach; Todd Chamberlain, a former Los Angeles school police chief and retired commander with the Los Angeles Police Department; Jack "John" Dale, a former Fort All FLPD Police Chaplains are duly ordained or licensed by a recognized religious institution with ecclesiastical authority and support. Lagerbloom, charged with hiring the citys new top cop, also wants to name a new interim chief to level the playing field. When asked about his approach to promotions, Scirotto told investigators he was going to consider diversity at every opportunity, and he had to be intentional in his decision-making process. CurrieFriday afternoonsaid, I was really looking forward to the leadership that Chief Scirotto was going to bring." All rights reserved. The department is not broken, said the union president, Brandon Diaz. 7 Candidates Vying to Be Next Ft. Lauderdale Chief - POLICE Mag The hosts on Drew Gerabo Live were left speculating what was happening when they could not reach the sheriff. I have no allegiance to anyone there, which means everyone will be measured on their own merit. I think this gives the city manager more breathing room to find someone suitable to lead the department. appreciated. As I see it, this is a fresh start for everybody, including the internal leadership team, he told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The previous chief Rick Maglione was reassigned in July. NC Sheriff Provides Community Photo Evidence of Deputy Shortage. Some believed it was about time changes were made, but stated if promotions were based on things such as race it would even hurt or undermine the people promoted, the report said. I believe weve found that.. This is not a moment in time. They called for racial justice in response to a grand jury decision in Louisville to charge one officer involved in the raid that killed Breonna Taylor. Be the first to know with email alerts on important breaking stories from the Orlando Sentinel newsroom. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. He said a mix of emotions will come over him as he finishes his last week on. Days after he was fired, the former police chief for the Fort Lauderdale Police Department is strongly denying allegations that he promoted officers based on their race, gender and sexual orientation.
