Fort Myers city councilman wants to reject resignation of inspector general

A Fort Myers City Councilman wants to reject the resignation of the police department’s inspector general, whose last day on the job was Friday due to what he called “unethical” actions by the command staff.

Instead, Ward 4 Councilman Liston Bochette wants Donald Oswald to be hired by the city manager to continue his work of policing the Fort Myers Police Department.

Oswald resigned after he filed a complaint with Fort Myers Police Chief Derrick Diggs about Major William Newhouse asking a subordinate to hide the ballooning costs of building a new police department on the site of the former News-Press building.

The complaint was investigated by Newhouse’s subordinate which prompted more complaints by Oswald.

Bochette told WINK News Oswald should have never reported to Diggs in the first place.

Bochette wants Oswald to work for the city manager because, as a rule, no one should ever work under the agency they’re supposed to police.

Bochette believes Oswald is too good to let go.

“I believe he was with the justice department, the FBI, has a law degree, been in policing for 37 years,” Bochette said. “These are special talents you don’t get in your city too often. Should he decide to move to go to another city that should be his decision, but it shouldn’t be an uncomfortable move … You know, you don’t punish people for doing their job, for doing their job well. That’s what he’s supposed to do.”

It’s unclear if Oswald wants to stay.

If he decides he wants to stay, how does that happen?

Bochette said the city manager has the authority to hire him or the city council could do it with a vote.

Three members of the council and the mayor all want an independent investigation into what happened.

An internal affairs investigation revealed on June 10, Diggs, Deputy Chief Jeffrey Meyers, Oswald, Newhouse and Lt. Roger Valdivia met to discuss the cost of the new police headquarters.

On June 24, Oswald filed a complaint with Diggs claiming Newhouse unethically ordered Valdivia to hide those overruns from council.

On July 8, Diggs opened an internal affairs investigation, but against the advice of Oswald, appointed Newhouse’s subordinate to investigate.

Then on Aug. 26, a month after Oswald’s complaint, FMPD addressed the price increase during a budget workshop.

And on Sept. 23, the internal affairs investigation was completed, declaring the allegations against Newhouse were unfounded.

Meetings in July and Sept. also addressed the costs of the new police station.

But Oswald’s allegations are not that the entire police department was trying to cover up the increased cost of the police station, but instead, he claims a superior officer ordered a subordinate to conceal specific information and that the investigation into that claim was a sham.