Lee County Sheriff’s Deputies investigating North Fort Myers shootingBishop of the Diocese of Venice releases statement following sexual abuse allegations by SWFL priest
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County Sheriff’s Deputies investigating 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.
NORTH NAPLES Senior Airman surprises cousin on Aubrey Rogers softball senior night Aubrey Rogers senior pitcher and infielder McKenzie Vargas was surprised by her Air Force cousin for Senior Night.
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County Sheriff’s Deputies investigating 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.
NORTH NAPLES Senior Airman surprises cousin on Aubrey Rogers softball senior night Aubrey Rogers senior pitcher and infielder McKenzie Vargas was surprised by her Air Force cousin for Senior Night.
Fort Myers Police Department FORT MYERS, Fla. One month after the release of a scathing audit alleging corruption, inefficiency and other challenges within the Fort Myers Police Department, the agency has fully executed only one of the report’s 12 immediate recommendations. “The vast majority of our officers perform their duties with integrity, bravery, and dedication to the safety of our citizens,” Chief Derrick Diggs said in a statement released Wednesday. “My focus right now is on moving forward and leading the way. The needs assessment is our road map for improvements to make our city better.” The audit called on the department to request outside assistance to investigate the allegations of officer misconduct it identified. Chief Diggs has asked the U.S. Attorney’s Office to conduct a formal investigation into alleged instances where officers leaked search warrant information to drug dealers. Below are the 11 other top recommendations from the report and their current status: At present, the department is a “flat” organization. There are three captains who occupy the highest rung of leadership below the chief position. We would recommend the city hire two deputy chiefs on an interim basis. City council members unanimously approved funding for a deputy chief, a two-year contract position, along with two lieutenants. While the deputy chief has not been named, Diggs said he currently has two temporary deputy chiefs. The department should hire a public information officer. The position has been posted and the interview process has started, the department said. It is recommended that an employment law attorney be retained to review all policy changes and to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of current disciplinary policies. The department has not said if this was started, in progress or completed. It is recommended that preliminary assessments be defined and used as a tool to access and properly categorize allegations of officer misconduct. The department has not said if this was started, in progress or completed. The department should consider excluding the name of a complainant on the citizen response system memorandum to the city manager because the document could become a public document thereby creating potential security concerns for the complainant. The department has not said if this was started, in progress or completed. The department must find a safe location and mechanism for witnesses to communicate with detectives. The department has not said if this was started, in progress or completed. The department should ensure that the captain that serves as the commander of the investigations bureau is trusted and respected by officers and outside agency partners. The department has not said if this was started, in progress or completed. The department should consider reassigning all task forces and specialty units to the investigations bureau to ensure that intelligence is collected and provided to support investigations. The department has not said if this was started, in progress or completed. The department should consider consolidating task forces (SIG, VCTF and gang task force) in order to reprogram officers to support the road patrol mission, as well as the detective units. The department has not said if this was started, in progress or completed. The department needs to establish controls in order to ensure task force and specialty assignments are managed impartially and transparently. The department has not said if this was started, in progress or completed. Although the scope of this engagement did not include an assessment of the department’s use of force policies and procedures, officers within the department did request additional training regarding de-escalation techniques. The department, in a statement, said it has “embarked on a strategic training and education program to educate officers and give them the tools they need to better perform their jobs,” but didn’t specify whether the training included de-escalation techniques. The report listed 32 recommendations in total, separated within time frames of six months, one year and five years. The department, in Wednesday’s statement, also detailed their efforts on some of the lower recommendations: The report suggested re-establishing a substation in the Dunbar community. While the department said they were working on substations prior to the report, they did not say if Dunbar will be included. This was a six-month recommendation. City council members approved funding for 24 laptops, docking stations and printers for detectives to use in their vehicles. This was a one-year recommendation. The department has hired additional 911 operators and several new officers. While a five-year recommendation, the department did not detail the number of new personnel needed to be fully staffed and the study did not suggest ideal staffing levels. This story is the latest in WINK News’ continuing series about the FMPD audit.