On New Year's Day, a retired Orlando police officer, Dennis Turner, age 64, was fatally shot in what appears to be a family dispute. According to a report by the Orlando Sentinel, Turner was discovered with a gunshot wound by Orlando police officers at around 7 p.m. near Kozart Street. He was promptly taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Jeffery London, a 58-year-old man, was arrested on charges of first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. After the incident, it was stated that London had managed to quickly flee the scene but was subsequently captured with assistance from law enforcement in both Polk and Highlands counties. The arrest was a result of coordinated efforts to swiftly bring the perpetrator into custody.
Turner, a 23-year veteran of the Orlando Police Department, retired in 2018 but continued to serve as a part of OPD's reserve unit, a group consisting mainly of retired officers who work extra-duty assignments. The news release from ClickOrlando also highlighted Turner's history with the OPD, noting his return to the department as a reserve officer in 2019.
Turner had been involved in a high-profile case that attracted national attention following the arrest of two 6-year-old students during his time as a school resource officer—a controversial decision that ultimately led to his firing from the reserve role. Moreover, his career at OPD was not without scrutiny; Turner was disciplined seven times and was the subject of 16 citizen complaints. Despite this, many incidents did not lead to formal investigations or further disciplinary actions.
