Luis Cabrera, deputy chief in Miami. Get updates on developing stories as they happen with our free breaking news email alerts. (City of Fort Lauderdale/Courtesy). 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. City Manager Chris Lagerbloom, who embarked on two. 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. Four who were not selected for promotion three men and one woman filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. NBC 6's Julie Leonardi reports, Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Larry Scirotto, 48, the son of a white mother and Black father and the departments first openly gay chief, was fired last Thursday after a city report related examples such as how he had once pointed to a display of photos of the departments command staff in a conference room and said: That wall is too white and Im gonna change that.. We must change our tactics, our strategy, our training and the way we are accountable to the public for our actions.. Willie Dennard, captain . Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com or on Twitter @Susannah_Bryan. "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. Mission Statement The Sun Sentinel reports the list of candidates includes Interim Chief Karen Dietrich,a veteran Fort Lauderdale officerwho 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 Lauderdale police captain and former colonel with the Broward Sheriffs Office; John Pate, city manager and director of Public Safety for Opa-locka; Tomas Sanchez, former chief of the Hollywood Police Department; and Cecil Smith, police chief in Sanford. Make no mistake weve had events occur in our police department in the last month, but I can tell you theres not been one event that has been the decision-making event, Lagerbloom said in July. Scirotto was sworn-in as police chief in mid-August, and the city had hired a law firm by November to investigate complaints of discrimination before he was fired on Thursday, according to a copy of the law firms report obtained by CNN. Soon after being hired, Scirotto promoted 15 officers nine were white men, six were minorities through ethnicity or gender. Police Chief Jorge Colina will walk out of the downtown Miami police headquarters for the final time on Friday. Ron DeSantis was doing some of the recruitment himself on Monday. The departments rank and file are eager to see a new leader named, said Detective Brandon Diaz, police union president. The department attracted more than 80 applicants after launching a nationwide search last summer, Lagerbloom said. Top 10 Police Chief CandidatesSelect the candidates name to see their resume. They are trained in Critical Incident Stress Symptoms and Management as well as Fort Lauderdale Police Policies and Procedures. 2. Four officers three white and one Hispanic filed EEOC complaints alleging that the chief was promoting unfairly. "You came to the wrong county. Scirotto, a former assistant chief in Pittsburgh, was the first openly gay chief hired in Fort Lauderdale and also is from a mixed-race background. RELATED: Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Rick Maglione removed as officers face scrutiny over protest brutality. 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. Lagerbloom has not said just what prompted the move, but Maglione posted a public statement on July 4 defending the actions his officers took during a May 31 protest over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. After a summer of searching, Key Biscayne's village manager has tapped Fort Lauderdale interim Assistant Police Chief Francis "Frank" Sousa to lead the . DeSantis spoke at an invitation-only event at an Elmhurst banquet hall - encouraging Chicago Police officers to leave Illinois and come work at departments in Florida. I wont allow them to tarnish my reputation. The Madison, WI, Police and Fire Commission voted Monday to stop requiring credit checks of prospective police officers. I wont allow them to tarnish the work that Ive done in the 24 years Ive been in this profession., In one example in the report, Scirotto is alleged to have overlooked a White man with 20 years tenure with the department, and instead narrowed the choice between two men of color, and asked, which one is blacker.. 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. After a year of uncertainty, putting this behind us and being able to move forward is going to be a positive for everybody on the police department, Diaz said. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. We were looking for someone who would be a collaborative leader, both with the community and the rank and file. Damned if you do, damned if you dont. That sense of urgency is not lost on Lagerbloom, who met with the union last week to give them an update on the search. Three of the semifinalists named by the City of Fort Lauderdale were internal: Interim Assistant Chief Frank Sousa, Maj. Dana Swisher and Capt. Maglione lost his job as chief five days after posting a public statement defending actions his officers took during a May 31 protest over the killing of Floyd in Minneapolis. The department is not broken, said the union president, Brandon Diaz. /end, The city says that interim Chief Patrick Lynn will remain to assist in the transition.. This past year, he was chosen to be one of the referees to officiate in the mens NCAA Final Four in Indianapolis. 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.. Some officers seem to revel in the return fire. Scirotto joined the department after the Fort Lauderdale police were hit by accusations of internal turmoil and use of excessive force after officers fired rubber bullets and teargas into a crowd protesting the 2020 murder of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis, which sparked civil rights protests across the country and internationally. Discovery Company. As I see it, this is a fresh start for everybody, including the internal leadership team, he told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. But in an interview with Miamis 7News, Scirotto denied that he had made promotions based on minority-status. Larry Scirotto is sworn in as the new chief of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department by Chief Judge Jack Tuter on 24 August 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was also a member of the Tallahassee Police Department from 1988 until 2011. 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 came in as the department was dealing with backlash from incidents during protests after George Floyds murder in Minneapolis. Local activists said OPDs reform under Roln has not gone far enough to address the needs of the community. The city manager is taking his time, Glassman said. The report concluded that most believed that Chief Scirotto made clear his intention to promote based on race, gender or sexual orientation and that almost every witness was dissatisfied with Scirottos approach to promotions. That means Karen Dietrichs days as interim chief are numbered. A list of eight semifinalists. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our, sworn in as the agencys 39th police chief, send mental health professionals to certain calls, initiating outside reviews of the agency by police consultants, operating under the direction of Assistant Chief Karen Dietrich, City Manager Chris Lagerbloom demoted former Chief Rick Maglione. 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. Unlike the shorter police academies, future officers serve as apprentices or cadets for a two-to-three-year program involving comprehensive learning through years of field experience and classroom instruction. Larry Scirotto, a former assistant chief from Pittsburgh, will be taking the helm on Aug. 16. The report followed several. Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown is resigning effective March 16, Lightfoot said in a statement. Former Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Larry Scirotto is seen in this file photo from the Fort Lauderdale Police Dept. 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. ]. Det. Fort Lauderdale The search for a new police chief in Fort Lauderdale hasnt turned up enough good candidates, so City Manager Chris Lagerbloom plans to try again. Scirotto had been accused of overlooking white. Fort Lauderdale officials have indicated the city could rescind promotions made on Scirottos watch. ", KY State Police Welcome Largest Cadet Class in Years. Its a wait-and-see attitude, Diaz added. Receive the latest law enforcement in-depth information, news and products. Critics lambasted officers for firing tear gas and rubber bullets during what began as a peaceful protest. Previous chief Rick Maglione was reassigned in July 2020. Police say protesters started it all when they threw rocks, bricks and fireworks. He also reorganized the Violent Crime Unit by combining homicide, aggravated assault and robbery investigations into a single unit to prioritize crimes against people. Bill Schultz; retired Miami Assistant Chief Dennis Jackson; Chief Kristen Ziman from Aurora, Ill.; Orlando Chief Orlando Rolon; and Houston Assistant Chief Heather Morris. That appointment will likely happen in the next couple weeks, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said Monday. Dietrich has been in charge of the agencys 530 sworn officers and 179 civilians since July 9, when Lagerbloomdemoted Rick Maglionefrom chief to major. The job pays between $116,047 and $197,300 a year. A list of eight semifinalists for the open chief position provided by the City of Fort Lauderdale lists Roln among its candidates, and Orlando Police Department spokesperson Autumn Jones confirmed Thursday that Roln is in a selection process for the position. More , Click for details. FLPD Seeks to Identify Man Captured on Video Near Homicide Scene, Employee Recognition-Complaint Hotline 954-828-6956. Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. But Scirotto warned that minority groups are now being treated as less than deserving. Additionally, about 120 of the filled positions are recruits that have not completed training, according to the police department. Starting Monday, April 4, Patrick Lynn will take over the department, announced Fort Lauderdale City Manager Chris Lagerbloom. He plans to stay onboard for awhile to help with the transition, Lagerbloom said. Attorney Christina Currie used to head the Ft. Lauderdale Citizens Investigative Panel which looked into complaints against officers. Orlando Roln, the city's police chief, smiles at the families who came out to the 9th Annual Dragon Parade on Sun, Feb. 9, 2020. 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. Did you encounter any technical issues? I dont see the delay as something negative. If I die on the hill for promoting diversity, as I was charged by the city manager to do from the day I was hired, then I will sleep well at night, he told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. According to the job posting, the ideal candidate will be interpersonal and culturally sensitive; ethical and of high integrity; a supporter, coach and mentor; and a diplomatic, prudent and highly effective conflict manager. 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. In 2020, Lynn stepped into a former role as Davies police chief after Dale Engle resigned. Provide a safe and orderly environment in our city through professionalism, dedication, an active partnership with the community and concern for individual dignity. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Fort Lauderdale Police Department. It doesnt need fixing. 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. 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. A city of Fort Lauderdale news release said the chief, Larry Scirotto, 48, was fired by City Manager Chris Lagerbloom on Thursday. The department has about 530 officers and 179 civilian employees. Glassman says hes glad to see the city manager is not in a rush to name a new chief. Lagerbloom made his pick from a list of eight semi-finalists that included three internal candidates: Fort Lauderdale's Assistant Chief Frank Sousa, Maj. Dana Swisher and Capt. Hes also a masters degree candidate in Organizational Development and Leadership at Saint Josephs University. 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.