Miami-Dade's New Chief Resilience Officer, Curtis Osceola, Arrested on Battery Charges Days Before Assuming Role

Curtis Osceola, the newly appointed Chief Resilience Officer for Miami-Dade County, was arrested on misdemeanor battery and resisting an officer without violence charges. The arrest took place shortly before 3:30 a.m. after police were called to Osceola's home in Doral, amidst allegations that he slapped his girlfriend during a dispute over his ongoing divorce, NBC Miami reported.

According to the arrest report, upon their arrival, police engaged with Osceola, who allegedly resisted commands to step outside for a weapons check, instead stating, "It's not going to happen." Officers then proceeded to physically remove him from the premises, an incident partially captured and later supplied to NBC6 by Osceola's attorney.

The recently named resilience officer, who is also a respected lawyer and has served as Chief of Staff to the Miccosukee Tribe, encountered legal problems just days before he was to take up his new post at Miami-Dade County's Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources. In his defense, Osceola's attorney has contended that the Ring camera footage will exonerate his client of resisting arrest claims. Meanwhile Osceola's girlfriend reported a physical altercation that left her with a scratch on her neck, while Osceola sported a cut on his ear, according to an account detailed by Florida Politics.

During a bond court hearing yesterday, Osceola's attorney, Sahara Fonseca pointed to her client's significant community standing. "He is a respected member of the bar and his community at the Miccosukee tribe. He is a respected colleague of my firm. Above all your honor, this is a case that we have information that the victim is not going to be proceeding with this case and my partner Mr. Patrick Wilson and I are confident that this is a case that will not stand within the next 30 days," Fonseca argued, maintaining that charges would not likely persist. His bond was set at $2,000 by Judge Marlene Fernandez-Karavetsos, who also mandated that Osceola keep away from the victim, as detailed by NBC Miami.

Mayor Daniella Levine Cava's office has stated that the situation is currently under review, a point which has necessitated the postponement of Osceola's official start date with the Office of Resilience, an entity tasked with devising solutions to the region's climate challenges. According to statements obtained by NBC Miami, the office has a capable team that will continue working without interruptions despite Osceola's legal entanglements.