Gray Rohrer
Two Florida lawmakers are sponsoring legislation requiring a city to hold a public meeting before firing a Police Chief.
Cities seeking to fire their top cop would also have to give them written notice beforehand and allow them to be represented by a lawyer to make their case.
“This process, it doesn’t change whether or not a Police Chief could be terminated,” said Sen. Danny Burgess, a Zephyrhills Republican who filed SB 998. “It just makes sure, like anything else, if there’s termination it should be with cause and if it’s not with cause then there should at least just be a presentation or at least an opportunity for a hearing before the City Council.”
The House version of the bill (HB 935) is identical to the Senate version and was filed by Rep. Berny Jacques, a Seminole Republican.
Burgess said the bill is an effort to continue Florida’s support of law enforcement.
“It’s more difficult now, more than ever, to be a law enforcement officer,” Burgess said. “They’re under a microscope like never before.”
The bill states “the Legislature also recognizes the critical importance of allowing the chief of police to communicate directly with the public, including the press, and allowing the chief of police to manage his or her law enforcement agency without political influence or interference in order to increase and maintain the public trust and exercise the authority of the chief of police.”
It also allows a Police Chief to sue “any person or group of persons” for damages for a false complaint made against them.
Burgess said he’s heard from Police Chiefs across the state about instances of interference in their duties by City Managers or City Councils, but declined to name specific cities or episodes. But he said the recent incident in Tampa, where Police Chief Mary O’Connor resigned in December after she asked a deputy to “just let us go” during a traffic stop, was not the inspiration for the bill.
“This just provides safeguards and transparency … in the event that one of these circumstances arises it would be vetted out in the public under the sunshine if it wasn’t with cause on its face,” Burgess said.
