Christina Currie, chair of the citizens police review board, says Lagerbloom picked the right guy to bring change to the department. 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?. The citys police department is now under the leadership of Acting Chief Luis Alvarez, the city said, and the selection process for a new chief is underway. 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 says some potential candidates are not applying out of respect for Dietrich. There are things we can do better. 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. They are trained in Critical Incident Stress Symptoms and Management as well as Fort Lauderdale Police Policies and Procedures. I see it as him taking the time to make sure the right person gets hired. Additionally, about 120 of the filled positions are recruits that have not completed training, according to the police department. 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 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. More , Click for details and safety tips. Share & Bookmark, Press Enter to show all options, press Tab go to next option, Employee Recognition-Complaint Hotline 954-828-6956. Former Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Larry Scirotto is seen in this file photo from the Fort Lauderdale Police Dept. Hes also a masters degree candidate in Organizational Development and Leadership at Saint Josephs University. 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. He followed up with an email. Theyre ready for this process to be complete, Diaz 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. Police say protesters started it all when they threw rocks, bricks and fireworks. The hosts on Drew Gerabo Live were left speculating what was happening when they could not reach the sheriff. The new chief came to town. Again, I go back to the fact that we support a very diverse organization," Lagerbloom said. I want them to be competent and experienced and open minded and sensitive to the diversity of our community.. 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. "I want a great relationship with people in our community who havent had access in the past," Scirotto said at the time. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. 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. A city of Fort Lauderdale news release said the chief, Larry Scirotto, 48, was fired by City Manager Chris Lagerbloom on Thursday. That was the day Lagerbloom demoted longtime chief Rick Maglione to major as protests over the police killing of George Floyd swept the nation. We were looking for someone who would be a collaborative leader, both with the community and the rank and file. 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. October 9, 2019. None of them were promoted because they were in a protected class, he said. Larry Scirotto, a former assistant chief from Pittsburgh, will be taking the helm on Aug. 16. Fort Lauderdale Police names Patrick Lynn chief. But in the fall, things turned sour when Scirotto promoted a list of minority employees. Career Paths Some officers seem to revel in the return fire. We wanted someone who can shepherd this department into a new era of policing, build trust and keep the needs of our diverse community at the forefront. The job pays between $116,047 and $197,300 a year. Vice Mayor Steve Glassman later described the entire scene as a horror show, saying it was hard to watch the police body camera footage recorded that day. FL Sheriff Chases After Suspect During Radio Interview. ]. I support his decision. FL Sheriff Calls Anti-Semitic Group "Scumbags, Says He's Honored to be On Their Hit List, "These scumbags came to the wrong county," Volusia County Sheriff, Mike Chitwood, said. Scirotto has a bachelors degree in criminal justice from Ashworth University and a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command. Police Chief Jorge Colina will walk out of the downtown Miami police headquarters for the final time on Friday. The Fort Lauderdale Police Department has been without a permanent leader since July 9. The report said Scirotto once pointed to a conference room wall displaying photos of the departments command staff and stated, that wall is too white, and Im gonna change that.. 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. Lynn becomes the top cop after the firing earlier this month of Larry Scirotto after just over six months of leading the Fort Lauderdale Police Department after a workplace discrimination complaint. I reached out and asked if hed be willing to come out of retirement, and thankfully, he said yes. Three of the semifinalists named by the City of Fort Lauderdale were internal: Interim Assistant Chief Frank Sousa, Maj. Dana Swisher and Capt. The department has about 530 officers and 179 civilian employees. City Manager Chris Lagerbloom, who embarked on two. (Adelaide Chen) If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. 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 . Other candidates vying for the Fort Lauderdale position come from similar leadership roles. Four who were not selected for promotion three men and one woman filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. All Rights Reserved. City Manager Chris Lagerbloom has announced former Pittsburgh Assistant Chief Larry Scirotto as the sole finalist for Chief of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. 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. Michelle F. Solomon is the podcast producer/reporter/host of Local 10's original, true-crime podcast The Florida Files and a digital journalist for Local 10.com. Copyright 2022 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. As chief, Scirotto promises to bring accountability to the department and to treat everyone fairly. Larry Scirotto is expected to join the department in. 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. Roln has worked with the Orlando Police Department since 1992 and was sworn in as the agencys 39th police chief in 2018. Karen Dietrich, an assistant chief who came up through the ranks, took over as interim chief the same day Maglione was demoted. NC Sheriff Provides Community Photo Evidence of Deputy Shortage. Orlando Police Chief Orlando Roln is in the running to become chief of police at the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, records show. The fact that hes an external candidate leaves some unknowns. Top 10 Police Chief CandidatesSelect the candidates name to see their resume. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. If youre a hardcore college basketball fan and that name sounds familiar, its because Scirotto also works as an NCAA referee. He was also a member of the Tallahassee Police Department from 1988 until 2011. Bill Schultz; retired Miami Assistant Chief Dennis Jackson; Chief Kristen Ziman from Aurora, Ill.; Orlando Chief Orlando Rolon; and Houston Assistant Chief Heather Morris. ", KY State Police Welcome Largest Cadet Class in Years. And I anticipate they will all step up and support the new chief.. RELATED: Fort Lauderdales interim police chief vows to reform troubled department, RELATED: Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Rick Maglione removed as officers face scrutiny over protest brutality. "We serve a very diverse community and thats important. 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. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Fort Lauderdale has named its new Chief of Police. The bottom row had several white males and one white female. "I think our community was really excited changing the culture of what we had experienced here in our police department.. Ron DeSantis was doing some of the recruitment himself on Monday. 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. If promoting diversity is the hill Im going to die on, I will sleep well tonight, he said. I watched George Floyd in horror like hopefully every other law enforcement professional in America did, he told the Sun Sentinel. But in an interview with Miamis 7News, Scirotto denied that he had made promotions based on minority-status. The list of semi-finalists represented a lot of talent both within and outside the department, Mayor Dean Trantalis said. That means Karen Dietrichs days as interim chief are numbered. If you want to take an organization somewhere, sometimes you have to look to the outside.. I would rather see him take the time and do it right. Its an honor to be sought after by a bunch of punk thugs like you. 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. The investigation also concluded almost every witness was dissatisfied, with Scirottos approach to promotions, and most believed that Chief Scirotto made clear his intention to promote based on race, gender or sexual orientation.. He said a mix of emotions will come over him as he finishes his last week on. Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com or on Twitter @Susannah_Bryan. /end, The city says that interim Chief Patrick Lynn will remain to assist in the transition.. By November, the city had hired a law firm to investigate complaints. As a leader, I will be visible and engaged with the community and the officers. They were promoted because they were the best candidates.. Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. 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. 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 minority-first approach. 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. Officers would be paid the salary they had when they left but wouldnt receive vacation time or any health, disability and retirement benefits. 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. Scirotto, 48, will make $200,000 a year overseeing the agencys 530 sworn officers and 179 civilians. Officer Shortage Has LAPD Asking Retirees to Come Back. Mission Statement [RELATED: Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Rick Maglione removed as officers face scrutiny over protest brutality]. Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Larry Scirotto has been fired for prioritizing minority candidates during the hiring process, reported CNN. Scirotto had been accused of overlooking white. Willie Dennard, captain . FLPD Seeks to Identify Man Captured on Video Near Homicide Scene, Employee Recognition-Complaint Hotline 954-828-6956. Fort Lauderdale For nearly a year, Fort Lauderdales troubled police department has been without a permanent leader, with two different interim chiefs taking over while a national search was underway. Larry Scirotto is expected to join the department in mid-August, City Manager Chris Lagerbloom announced Tuesday. The acting police chief will be Luis Alvarez, who is currently an assistant chief. And how do I purport we have that when the entire bottom row are white men? Scirotto told WFOR. Humane Society of Broward County Kicks Off VCA Walk for the Animals in Fort Lauderdale, BSO Searching forMissing 11-Year-Old Girl From Pompano Beach, Miami-Dade Mayor, State Attorney Announce New Measures to Protect HOA Residents, Check Your Change! 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. City Manager Chris Lagerbloom shared the news Tuesday with the departments command staff and rank and file. 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. That sense of urgency is not lost on Lagerbloom, who met with the union last week to give them an update on the search. 10:25 PM EST, Sat March 5, 2022. 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. In a statement the city said it had decided to cut ties with the police chief, who was not on a contract, saying: After 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.. As for his law enforcement credentials, Scirotto was formerly the assistant police chief in Pittsburgh. Investigates both sworn and civilian public safety candidates, vendors, and other support candidates through in-person interviews. That's . Discovery Company. Roln received criticism from some officers over the past year for pandering to the community in response to demands for reform and failing to support and defend officers against anti-police rhetoric, an officer survey showed. 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 . Maglione had been chief since 2016. As I see it, this is a fresh start for everybody, including the internal leadership team, he told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. . 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.