FMPD officers recommend hiring push, better communication

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Along with more police officers in Fort Myers, those hired should have an understanding of the people they serve, according to an internal Fort Myers Police Department survey.

The findings of the survey, which queried officers within the department, were presented Tuesday as part of a two-hour session at Harborside Events Center.

Officers said the department could do a better job of working with the community and the media. They suggested that the public information office should go beyond communicating with the media and speak directly to the public.

Building trust between residents and the department has been a key thrust for Chief Derrick Diggs since he was sworn in Aug. 15.

The department rolled out its community engagement project in September with the first in a series of meetings that brought officers face-to-face with city residents. Diggs earlier this month cited communication with members of the public for the success of a gang-suppression initiative that he said had likely prevented multiple mass shootings.

Diggs spoke during Tuesday’s meeting, as did members of the public, many of whom expressed frustration with the state attorney’s office for selective prosecution.

Fort Myers has been at the center of several unresolved cases, including the July mass shooting at Club Blu and the October 2015 Zombicon shooting.