CCPD officer resigns in scandal over alleged rape investigation

CAPE CORAL, Fla. – An officer formerly with the Cape Coral Police Department resigned Wednesday following allegations that he lied about an active investigation into alleged sexual battery.

The officer, Kordelle McKissack, is accused of lying on his application to the department back in 2003 when he allegedly denied being under investigation for rape, according to CCPD. The alleged sexual battery investigation resurfaced in a Tuesday court proceeding, which prompted an internal investigation, CCPD said. That investigation will continue despite McKissack’s resignation and could cause the former officer to lose his state certifications, CCPD said.

Fewer than 10 percent of CCPD applicants make it onto the force, according to Interim Chief Dave Newlan. McKissack had to go through a background check, polygraph testing, drug screening and psychological evaluation before employed with CCPD. He was even recommended for the job by his previous chief, Reggie Pope, at the Spring Hill Police Department in Tennessee. Chief Newlan said CCPD was never made aware of any “derogatory information” about McKissack.

“If the facts of the Internal Affairs investigation support what was alleged to have been happening at the time, this was patently deceptive on the part of Pope,” Newlan said in a written statement.

McKissack resigned while on administrative leave for a separate incident, CCPD said. He was placed on administrative leave in March while the department investigated allegations that he lied during a criminal investigation to get a search warrant, according to CCPD.

The ongoing investigation into those allegations could mean that any case McKissack touched is no longer credible and opens the door for dropped charges against defendants.

Both investigations will be forwarded to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the state’s officer certification department upon completion, CCPD said.

His credibility under question, McKissack has joined a list of several local officers on a “do not subpoena” list by the state attorney’s office:

1. Marco Island Police Department – Officer Tige Thompson: Accused of giving inconsistent and conflicting statements in a 2011 case; charges against defendant were subsequently dropped.
2. Cape Coral Police Department – Officer Toni Palermo: Accused of forging a witness’ handwriting in a witness statement; charges against defendant subsequently dropped.
3. Collier County Sheriff’s Office – Deputy Robert Lewis: Accused of withholding evidence in a DUI case and criticized jurors outside of courthouse.
4. Collier County Sheriff’s Office – Deputy Charles Smith: Charged with petty theft
5. Charlotte County Deputy Eric Ireland: fired for abusing agency database and his job to prey women.
6. Lee County Sheriff’s Office – Deputy Selena Lee: Resigned after internal affairs investigation for misconduct.