You dont know what hes going to bring, or what his vision is and how hes going to move the department forward.. [RELATED: Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Rick Maglione removed as officers face scrutiny over protest brutality]. Scirotto spent more than two decades as a police officer in Pittsburgh, and was initially welcomed in the Florida post as an outsider untouched by cronyism. Larry Scirotto, a former assistant chief from Pittsburgh, will be taking the helm on Aug. 16. 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. In Fort Lauderdale, he beat out dozens of applicants including three internal candidates to step into the role of chief, a job that comes with a $200,000 salary and a $140 million budget . Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman is in the running to become chief of police in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, according to Fort Lauderdale city officials. State police said a $15,000 salary increase for state polices sworn personnel had helped increase the number of officers in the agency. For nearly a year, Fort Lauderdale's troubled police department has been without a permanent leader, with two different interim chiefs taking over while a national search was underway. Police accused some protesters of throwing rocks, bricks and fireworks, arguing that warranted a strong response. 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. Some officers seem to revel in the return fire. Florida Gov. 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. 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. Fort Lauderdale's police chief has been fired after only about six months on the job following an investigation into complaints that he made hiring and promotion decisions with an improper. Scirotto said he has obtained legal counsel and is planning on filing a wrongful termination lawsuit against the city. Scirotto told CNN he promoted 15 people from August to November, and of that group, six were ethnic or gender minorities selected for promotions based on their merit. Police say protesters started it all when they threw rocks, bricks and fireworks. He formerly served as a deputy chief in charge of OPDs Patrol Services Bureau, including during the shooting at Pulse nightclub in June 2016, and has held positions in most of the agencys departments over his career. Seven contenders are in line to lead Fort Lauderdales police department. 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. /end, The city says that interim Chief Patrick Lynn will remain to assist in the transition.. The fact that hes an external candidate leaves some unknowns. Attorney Christina Currie used to head the Ft. Lauderdale Citizens Investigative Panel which looked into complaints against officers. The Commission said the measure was being taken in a step to increase diversity in the department. October 9, 2019. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Fort Lauderdale has named its new Chief of Police. 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. Three of the semifinalists named by the City of Fort Lauderdale were internal: Interim Assistant Chief Frank Sousa, Maj. Dana Swisher and Capt. Units of the Office of the Chief of Police. Officer Shortage Has LAPD Asking Retirees to Come Back. Theyre ready to go, he said with a laugh. That means Karen Dietrichs days as interim chief are numbered. By choosing Scirotto, Lagerbloom rejected three internal candidates who were among the semi-finalists. The department is not broken, said the union president, Brandon Diaz. Fort Lauderdale police fired tear gas and rubber bullets during the protest, exacerbating to a chaotic and violent scene. The first round of applications did not measure up to the expectations of the city manager, Trantalis said. Dietrich has been in charge of the agencys 530 sworn officers and 179 civilians since July 9, when Lagerbloomdemoted Rick Maglionefrom chief to major. Fort Lauderdales now-former police chief has hit back at officials in the Florida city who fired him after just six months on the job, accusing him of focusing too heavily on a diversity policy in hiring and promotion. 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. As assistant chief, Scirotto was responsible for oversight of the police bureaus accreditation, policy development, labor management, internal investigations, and criminal intelligence and education. RELATED: Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Rick Maglione removed as officers face scrutiny over protest brutality. The Media Relations Unit, Staff Inspections/ Accreditation Unit, and the Office of Internal Affairs are the three main components of the Office of the Chief. Now, he is in the running to take the top cop job, down south.The city of Fort Lauderdale sent WESH 2 News a list of semi-finalists for its police chief position and Rolon is in the running . The new chief came to town. By November, the city had hired a law firm to investigate complaints. I reached out and asked if hed be willing to come out of retirement, and thankfully, he said yes. El Paso Chief Dies After 15 Years Leading Department. I want them to be competent and experienced and open minded and sensitive to the diversity of our community.. There are just certain ways that you can do that and do it legally, and other ways that meet that muster.. 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.. The job pays between $116,047 and $197,300 a year. It cited 21 witnesses on Scirottos hiring and promotion practices. Theyre ready for this process to be complete, Diaz said. 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. Soon after being hired, Scirotto promoted 15 officers nine were white men, six were minorities through ethnicity or gender. Larry Scirotto who took over the Fort Lauderdale Police Department in August was fired by the city manager on Thursday, according to a press release. Chicago Losing Officers to Florida Agencies. All FLPD Police Chaplains are duly ordained or licensed by a recognized religious institution with ecclesiastical authority and support. What would the optics have been on that?. I have a vision for the department, Scirotto said at the time. Fort Lauderdale Police Department | Home Home News Sitemap Contact Us Employee Recognition-Complaint Hotline 954-828-6956 RSS Home About FLPD News Community Solve Crimes Employment FAQs Help Us Find Sophie Reeder Click for details on her case and to see how you can help. I watched George Floyd in horror like hopefully every other law enforcement professional in America did, he told the Sun Sentinel. After a summer of searching, Key Biscayne's village manager has tapped Fort Lauderdale interim Assistant Police Chief Francis "Frank" Sousa to lead the . Office of the Chief | Fort Lauderdale Police Department Font Size: About FLPD Office of the Chief Units of the Office of the Chief of Police The Media Relations Unit, Staff Inspections/ Accreditation Unit, and the Office of Internal Affairs are the three main components of the Office of the Chief. Get updates on developing stories as they happen with our free breaking news email alerts. And how do I purport we have that when the entire bottom row are white men? Scirotto told WFOR. More , Click for details and safety tips. As chief, Scirotto promises to bring accountability to the department and to treat everyone fairly. 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. Lagerbloom also chose Scirotto the youngest assistant chief in the history of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for his extensive background in patrol work and experience with investigative and administrative assignments. There are things we can do better. 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. Hes also a masters degree candidate in Organizational Development and Leadership at Saint Josephs University. But Scirotto warned that minority groups are now being treated as less than deserving. CurrieFriday afternoonsaid, I was really looking forward to the leadership that Chief Scirotto was going to bring." The department attracted more than 80 applicants after launching a nationwide search last summer, Lagerbloom said. In total, 21 witnesses, including the chief, gave a consistent narrative to investigators about Scirottos hiring and promotion practices, the report reads. The bottom row had several white males and one white female. None of them were promoted because they were in a protected class, he said. Fort Lauderdale Police Department. As I see it, this is a fresh start for everybody, including the internal leadership team, he told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Be the first to know with email alerts on important breaking stories from the Orlando Sentinel newsroom. Four officers three white and one Hispanic filed EEOC complaints alleging that the chief was promoting unfairly. The tactics used by a few officers to discredit the promotions of Black and minority officers with masters degrees, stellar reputations, and exemplary work history, are nothing short of appalling," Cecil Stone, the head of the Fort Lauderdale Black Police Association, previously wrote. Orlando Police Chief Orlando Roln is in the running to become chief of police at the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, records show. But the former police chief has said he plans to maintain his position on the issue. Top 10 Police Chief CandidatesSelect the candidates name to see their resume. Again, I go back to the fact that we support a very diverse organization," Lagerbloom said. 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. Former Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Larry Scirotto is seen in this file photo from the Fort Lauderdale Police Dept. FLPD had been criticized for its handling of downtown protests. Fort Lauderdale policefired tear gasand rubber bullets, contributing to a chaotic and violent scene. This past year, he was chosen to be one of the referees to officiate in the mens NCAA Final Four in Indianapolis. Updated Det. The previous chief Rick Maglione was reassigned in July. He joined Davies police department as chief soon after where he served until 2017. They were promoted because they were the best candidates.. That appointment will likely happen in the next couple weeks, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said Monday. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. We were looking for someone who would be a collaborative leader, both with the community and the rank and file. 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. 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.. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. And I anticipate they will all step up and support the new chief.. 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. Chief Scirotto emerged as the clear, sole finalist after a thorough year-long process in the search for a new leader of our department, Lagerbloom said in a statement. FL Sheriff Chases After Suspect During Radio Interview. This is not a moment in time. The report said that Scirotto had responded that the context of his comment had been built around how do I convince the community that we are an inclusive and diverse organization if this wall is so white?. Karen Dietrich, an assistant chief who came up through the ranks, took over as interim chief the same day Maglione was demoted. The list of semi-finalists represented a lot of talent both within and outside the department, Mayor Dean Trantalis said. Fort Lauderdale The search for a new police chief in Fort Lauderdale hasn't turned up enough good candidates, so City Manager Chris Lagerbloom plans to try again. (Photo courtesy of City of Fort Lauderdale), its handling of downtown protests on May 31 and the aftermath. Scirotto will be making the move from Dallas to Fort Lauderdale with his two American bulldogs, Charlie and Linus. 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. Protestors assemble outside Fort Lauderdale Police Department headquarters on Sept 27, 2020. A city of Fort Lauderdale news release said the chief, Larry Scirotto, 48, was fired by City Manager Chris Lagerbloom on Thursday. 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. 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. Provide a safe and orderly environment in our city through professionalism, dedication, an active partnership with the community and concern for individual dignity. Scirotto, 48, will make $200,000 a year overseeing the agencys 530 sworn officers and 179 civilians. The report followed several. After less than a year on the job, Fort Lauderdale's top cop is being fired after an investigation into employee complaints. City Manager Chris Lagerbloom shared the news Tuesday with the departments command staff and rank and file. RELATED: Pop his ass. Bodycam videos show protesters throwing things at police. Lagerbloom now has a new plan: appoint a new interim chief from outside the department who is not interested in the job. Fort Lauderdale Police names Patrick Lynn chief. 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. Lagerbloom,. Scirotto has a bachelors degree in criminal justice from Ashworth University and a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command. Larry Scirotto has been selected by the city manager to become Fort Lauderdale's next police 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. He started making positive changes that would impact the whole community in a more positive direction than we had been in," community activist Jackie Scott said. Career Paths CNN obtained a copy of the report that also said Scirotto had overlooked a white man with 20 years tenure with the department, and instead narrowed the choice for a job between two men of color, and asked: Which one is blacker?. Its too important., Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4554 or on Twitter @Susannah_Bryan. Its an honor to be sought after by a bunch of punk thugs like you. Minutes later Sheriff Mike Chitwood responded that he was OK and explained what happened. Bill Schultz; retired Miami Assistant Chief Dennis Jackson; Chief Kristen Ziman from Aurora, Ill.; Orlando Chief Orlando Rolon; and Houston Assistant Chief Heather Morris. I support his decision. 2. 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. Engle came under fire after he suggested that a Broward Sheriffs Office deputys death from COVID-19 was linked to his sexuality. "I want a great relationship with people in our community who havent had access in the past," Scirotto said at the time. A Warner Bros. The department has about 530 officers and 179 civilian employees. Speaking to CNN affiliate WFOR, Scirotto said the investigation was built on hearsay, and lacked testimony, transcript and audio. The acting police chief will be Luis Alvarez, who is currently an assistant chief. Scirotto had been accused of overlooking white. The Fort Lauderdale Police Department has been without a permanent leader since July 9. Lagerbloom made his pick from a list of eight semi-finalists that included three internal candidates: Fort Lauderdales Assistant Chief Frank Sousa, Maj. Dana Swisher and Capt. Updated: Mar 7, 2022 / 05:51 AM EST. 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. . 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 The city ultimately decided to cut ties with Scirotto, who did not have a contract with the city and will not be receiving a severance, city spokesperson Stephen Gollan told CNN. Following a thorough and extensive investigation of employee complaints at the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, City Manager Chris Lagerbloom, has determined that it is in the Citys best interest to separate employment with Larry Scirotto, the city said in a statement dated March 3. The departments rank and file are eager to see a new leader named, said Detective Brandon Diaz, police union president. There would have been 12 white men, one white woman and two minorities if I had promoted as the complainants say I should have, Scirotto told the paper. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. 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. Larry Scirotto, a former assistant police chief in Pittsburgh, has been tapped to lead the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. Police say protesters started it all when they threw rocks, bricks and fireworks. Lagerbloom, charged with hiring the citys new top cop, also wants to name a new interim chief to level the playing field. I believe weve found that.. Throughout the decades, he moved up to the rank of deputy chief in charge of the Central and Pebble Hills regional command centers. Scirotto did not return NBC 6's requests for comment.