The winds of change are blowing in Kissimmee, where community trust in law enforcement hangs in the balance. Newly elected Mayor Jackie Espinosa has restored trust in the Kissimmee Police Department at the top of her to-do list. The push for reform comes after the previous police chief resigned following an array of alleged misconduct within the department.
Espinosa has proposed reinstating a citizen's review board as a vehicle for transparency and accountability, according to FOX 35 Orlando. "We’ve always been looked at as a great department, and I want to make sure that’s re-established," Espinosa said as she prepared to open discussions with city commissioners about the citizen review board after her swearing-in.
Last month's audit by the State Attorney’s office revealed at least 15 unreported instances of excessive force or improper entry, further straining the relationships between the public and their protectors. An interim chief from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office has been appointed to lead the department through this turbulent time until a more permanent solution is charted.
The concept of a citizen review board is not new to Kissimmee. Such a board was disbanded in June following Governor Ron DeSantis' signing of a law that significantly restricted the role of these oversight entities. This recent legislation prohibits these boards from investigating use-of-force cases, only allowing them to review law enforcement policies and procedures. Despite these restrictions, members of the previously dissolved board express a need for its return. "If we’re not there, then we don’t have an opinion at all. So, I would rather be there in some type of form," Nilisa Council, former Citizen Police Review Board Vice Chair, stated as per WFTV.
The City Commission will discuss the proposal on November 19, while the community, guided by the interim police chief’s pledge to reform, hopes this effort will rebuild trust rather than fade away.
