CASSELBERRY, Fla. — 9 Investigates the men and women vying for the position of top cop after Casselberry’s police chief stepped down amid a sexting and discrimination scandal.
Casselberry received 111 applications and the Florida Police Chief’s Association narrowed it down to just 12.
PDF: List of candidates for Casselberry police chief
“Casselberry cannot afford another scandal or a police chief that doesn’t succeed,” said law enforcement expert Chuck Drago.
Randy Bratton, who currently serves as chief in Corsiana, Texas, left his prior job in Kentucky after a ‘vote of no confidence’ by his union.
Near Miami, Robert Daniels was fired in February from North Bay Village’s top cop position following department performance issues.
And near Atlanta, Peachtree City Chief H.C. ‘Skip’ Clark’s department recently settled a $300,000 discrimination lawsuit.
It’s the same type of lawsuit Casselberry’s police department is facing.
“They look for someone who can come in and fix that, that’s a very difficult thing for a police chief to do,” Drago said.
Closer to home on the list of candidates, Cap. Jim McAuliffe of the Sanford Police Department, who helped the department’s image as public information officer during the George Zimmerman investigation and the ousting of former chief Bill Lee.
Gene Bernal is also on the list. He recently stepped down as Eatonville’s police chief amid a dispute with the mayor over squad cars.
Casselberry’s acting chief, David Del Rosso, is also on the list.
Drago said hiring from within may mean more of the same within a department that needs a fresh start
WFTV
