Few showers this Monday afternoon after a pleasant and dry morning1 dead, and 2 detained after North Fort Myers shooting
The Weather Authority Few showers this Monday afternoon after a pleasant and dry morning The Weather Authority is tracking a cool and pleasant Monday morning start with the possibility of afternoon rain showers.
NORTH FORT MYERS 1 dead, and 2 detained after North Fort Myers shooting A shooting investigation is underway in North Fort Myers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Bishop of the Diocese of Venice releases statement following sexual abuse allegations by SWFL priest The Bishop of the Diocese of Venice is speaking out after Charlotte County Reverend Leo Riley was arrested on five counts of sexual battery stemming from his past work as a priest in Iowa.
NEW YORK (AP) Biden officials indefinitely postpone ban on menthol cigarettes amid election-year pushback President Joe Biden’s administration is indefinitely delaying a long-awaited menthol cigarette ban, a decision that infuriated anti-smoking advocates but could avoid a political backlash from Black voters in November.
FORT MYERS Gone but not forgotten: Traveling Vietnam Memorial pays tribute to veterans A powerful symbol of honor and remembrance is standing proudly here in Southwest Florida. The Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall is open to the public, a reminder of those we lost who served our country.
LEE COUNTY Two arrested for street racing in Lee County Two people have been arrested for street racing in Lee County according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
CAPE CORAL Boaters with rifles seen in Cape Coral canal On an average day, it’s pretty common to see people fishing or swimming in a canal. One neighbor in Cape Coral saw something unusual in his backyard Friday afternoon.
FORT MYERS Car flips, one sent to hospital after two car crash in Fort Myers A crash involving at least two vehicles sent one person to the hospital.
The Weather Authority: Clouds, sunshine, wind, and the possibility of a brief shower for your Sunday Clouds and occasional sunshine this Sunday. A few brief showers are possible late in the afternoon and this evening.
TALLAHASSEE (CBS) Governor DeSantis signs AI and vape bills Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed 28 bills, including a measure requiring disclaimers on certain political ads created using artificial intelligence and a bill about regulation of vape products.
ESTERO Gold Star Golf Tournament honors fallen veteran Behind each putt and swing of a golf club at the Gold Star Golf Tournament is someone who knew John Wirka Junior.
NEW YORK (AP) How TikTok grew from a fun app for teens into a potential national security threat If it feels like TikTok has been around forever, that’s probably because it has, at least if you’re measuring via internet time. What’s now in question is whether it will be around much longer and, if so, in what form?
FORT MYERS Man wanted for armed robbery at Fort Myers convenience store Crime Stoppers is asking the public for help identifying an armed robber who held up a convenience store Saturday morning.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Rifles, inappropriate texts and Donut shop debacle This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features a scary mall trip, an inappropriate coach, and a Dunkin Donuts assault.
The Weather Authority: Sunny Saturday with a nice breeze; fire danger increases Warm temperatures for your Saturday with a nice breeze into the afternoon.
The Weather Authority Few showers this Monday afternoon after a pleasant and dry morning The Weather Authority is tracking a cool and pleasant Monday morning start with the possibility of afternoon rain showers.
NORTH FORT MYERS 1 dead, and 2 detained after North Fort Myers shooting A shooting investigation is underway in North Fort Myers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Bishop of the Diocese of Venice releases statement following sexual abuse allegations by SWFL priest The Bishop of the Diocese of Venice is speaking out after Charlotte County Reverend Leo Riley was arrested on five counts of sexual battery stemming from his past work as a priest in Iowa.
NEW YORK (AP) Biden officials indefinitely postpone ban on menthol cigarettes amid election-year pushback President Joe Biden’s administration is indefinitely delaying a long-awaited menthol cigarette ban, a decision that infuriated anti-smoking advocates but could avoid a political backlash from Black voters in November.
FORT MYERS Gone but not forgotten: Traveling Vietnam Memorial pays tribute to veterans A powerful symbol of honor and remembrance is standing proudly here in Southwest Florida. The Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall is open to the public, a reminder of those we lost who served our country.
LEE COUNTY Two arrested for street racing in Lee County Two people have been arrested for street racing in Lee County according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
CAPE CORAL Boaters with rifles seen in Cape Coral canal On an average day, it’s pretty common to see people fishing or swimming in a canal. One neighbor in Cape Coral saw something unusual in his backyard Friday afternoon.
FORT MYERS Car flips, one sent to hospital after two car crash in Fort Myers A crash involving at least two vehicles sent one person to the hospital.
The Weather Authority: Clouds, sunshine, wind, and the possibility of a brief shower for your Sunday Clouds and occasional sunshine this Sunday. A few brief showers are possible late in the afternoon and this evening.
TALLAHASSEE (CBS) Governor DeSantis signs AI and vape bills Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed 28 bills, including a measure requiring disclaimers on certain political ads created using artificial intelligence and a bill about regulation of vape products.
ESTERO Gold Star Golf Tournament honors fallen veteran Behind each putt and swing of a golf club at the Gold Star Golf Tournament is someone who knew John Wirka Junior.
NEW YORK (AP) How TikTok grew from a fun app for teens into a potential national security threat If it feels like TikTok has been around forever, that’s probably because it has, at least if you’re measuring via internet time. What’s now in question is whether it will be around much longer and, if so, in what form?
FORT MYERS Man wanted for armed robbery at Fort Myers convenience store Crime Stoppers is asking the public for help identifying an armed robber who held up a convenience store Saturday morning.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Rifles, inappropriate texts and Donut shop debacle This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features a scary mall trip, an inappropriate coach, and a Dunkin Donuts assault.
The Weather Authority: Sunny Saturday with a nice breeze; fire danger increases Warm temperatures for your Saturday with a nice breeze into the afternoon.
Fort Myers Police Department FORT MYERS, Fla. Internal preferential treatment, failure to address integrity issues and a lack of resources has impacted the community’s perception of the Fort Myers Police Department and its relationship with other law enforcement agencies. An “unprecedented” report released on Wednesday detailed findings and recommendations outlined by Freeh Group International Solutions, LLC., a Delaware-based risk management firm hired by the city to review the department. The $150,000 audit, consisting of more than 200 interviews with current and former employees, was approved by city council members about four months before police chief Derrick Diggs was hired in August 2016. “It helps me in terms of assessing the department and quickly allowing me to do the things I need to do to move this department in the future,” Diggs said. “The needs assessment is something that needed to be done.” A copy of the full audit can be read here. Deep issues The assessment outlined a number of concerns that have festered within the department for years: Staffing Budget shortfalls in 2008 forced the department to offer buyouts to a large number of experienced officers. “The city lost a great deal of very experienced officers, and you just don’t replace that overnight, and that’s a problem,” said Robert O’Neill, who co-conducted the audit. Ongoing staffing shortages have increased officer workload, which also impacted how homicides are investigated. “A number of the detectives are handing caseloads that are way too much,” O’Neill said. “If you handle a high case load, you can’t cover all the various leads.” O’Neill suggested the department, which has been criticized for its number of unsolved homicides, should adapt a team approach to killings. Instead of one detective, multiple investigators should be assigned to a homicide. ‘Cliqueish system’ “There is real thought within the department that preferential treatment permeated the entire organization,” O’Neill said. “In other words, the great majority, almost every person we interviewed, said there was a cliqueish system in the department. Either you were in or you were out.” Many department supervisors came from the narcotics division and worked their way up, O’Neill said. While it is often good to promote from within, it has had unintended consequences for the agency, he added. The report also praised the hiring of a police chief from outside the department. “If you promoted from within, it would’ve brought skepticism and criticism from the public,” O’Neill said. Integrity issues Rule violations were not investigated, which resulted in internal allegations growing and distrust from other law enforcement agencies. “When there’s allegations, that leads to distrust, and when there’s allegations of distrust, there’s a lack of people working together,” O’Neill said. “And other agencies can be affected by it.” Physical space A lack of room has forced the department to do “more with less,” which doesn’t make sense, O’Neill said. “It’s very much of a stopgap measure,” he said. “Eventually to do the job right you need the proper resources.” Implementing answers One recommendation requiring immediate action is hiring more people to answer 911 calls. “The fear is from within the police department was that someone could get hurt or worse if they don’t adequately respond to the 911 calls,” O’Neill said. Diggs outlined actions that have already been taken: Hiring four emergency dispatchers. Deploying 142 body cameras. Pending restructuring of the command staff. Hiring more officers. Hiring a full-time public information officer. Updated training, including bias and community engagement. Decentralizing police operations. The department is considering building 7-12 substations around the city. Implementing all of the recommendations will take about five years, city manager Saeed Kazemi said. “We have a road map that we’re going to follow,” he said. “And that’s the growth management that we, that as a city manager I didn’t have, as the police chief he didn’t have.” Further details on next steps will be announced within the next few weeks, officials said. WINK News reporter Michelle Kingston has more on the audit’s findings and the next steps for the department: Submit Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.