SANFORD, Fla. — The city of Sanford will start looking for a new permanent police chief after city leaders fired Police Chief Bill Lee over the way he handled controversy following the Trayvon Martin shooting investigation.
City leaders fired Lee Wednesday night. City Manager Norton Bonaparte said this is the best way to move forward at the department and across the city.
"Was this a fair decision?" WFTV reporter Bianca Castro asked.
"Yes," said Bonaparte.
Bonaparte forced Lee to offer his resignation in April, but the city council did not accept it.
This time, he cut right to the chase and said it's best to start over with a chief that everyone can support.
In a statement Wednesday night, Bonaparte said, "After much thoughtful discussion and deep consideration for the issues facing the City of Sanford, I have determined the police chief needs to have the trust and respect of the elected officials and the confidence of the entire community. We need to move forward with a police chief that all the citizens of Sanford can support. I have come to this decision in light of the escalating divisiveness that has taken hold of the city."
The move is a major victory for the Sanford residents who have been demanding his removal since the department declined to charge George Zimmerman following the night he gunned down 17-year-old Martin.
"The cloud that was continuing over the city, in terms of the city's police department was the biggest factor that we needed to make a move," he said.
It's what Martin's family has been demanding all along.
Overnight, the Martins and their attorney addressed the National Association Of Black Journalists about Lee's firing at the group's conference in New Orleans.
“It’s just good to know that there are good people and there are people that support us and we want to just say thank you,” said Martin's mother Sybrina Fulton.
After the shooting, Lee said Zimmerman could not be arrested because he shot the unarmed teen in self-defense.
After the February shooting, protesters took to the streets in Central Florida and across the country. In March, Lee temporarily stepped aside. Then last month interim Police Chief Rick Myers took control until the controversy could blow over.
But now he could be in charge longer while the city spends several months looking for a permanent chief.
Bonaparte is in contact with the police executive research forum which will help him find Lee's replacement.
"We are moving forward. We will then look to recruit a new chief, one that the city commsion should have confidence in and one that the citizens of Sanford would be able to trust," Bonaparte said.
In a statement, Lee said he was disappointed the city manager has chosen to exercise his right to terminate his employment, without cause.
Lee said he stands by the work performed by the Sanford Police Department.
Lee will receive $25,000 severance.
WFTV
