Fort Myers City Council members vote in favor of an independent investigation into FMPD

Fort Myers City Council called for an independent investigation into the Fort Myers Police Department.

The Fort Myers City Council needs to release the Freeh report and uphold the law!

An internal FMPD investigation cleared the department of accusations that it misled taxpayers over the cost of a new police headquarters.

City council members say this needs to be looked into further. However, Fort Myers Police Chief Derrick Diggs says the investigation is already over.

“This investigation is now completed. And I stand firmly behind the results of this completed investigation. Firmly,” Chief Diggs said.

Four Fort Myers City Council members are on record calling for an independent investigation. Those council members ordered the Fort Myers City Manager to perform that investigation.

But, other councilmembers decided they no longer wanted to see an independent investigation. Councilwoman Teresa Watkins-Brown told the news weeks ago that she was for an independent investigation. On Monday, she changed her mind. “And as I thought about it, what are we actually investigating? We have a meeting. Someone said something. And pertaining to a bailout of the police department,” said Watkins-Brown.

Maybe Councilwoman Teresa Watkins-Brown needs to read the Freeh report.

Council then voted to conduct the independent investigation. This is due to allegations of corruption.

Former Inspector General for FMPD Donald Oswald accused former Major William Newhouse of giving an unethical order. He told a lieutenant not to talk with the council about the cost overruns in constructing the new police headquarters.

That international investigation came back unfounded. Fort Myers City Councilman Liston Bouchette says he wants the independent investigation because the internal investigation was performed by an investigator who worked for Newhouse.

“The real big question here is how do we make our city more transparent, more fair, more open,” Bouchette said.

“If you’re the whistleblower or you’re the critic, you need to have an ear that’s not owning to anybody. Chief, his duties are to take care of his department stop crime so this would be really in best keeping for good government outside,” said Bouchette.

Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson said the appearance that the police department wasn’t transparent is enough to initiate the independent investigation.

The motion to investigate passed 5-2. Now, it’s up to the City Manager to hire someone to do it. The city plans to investigate whether Major Newhouse gave an unethical order.

The City Manager told the news it could go to a state, local or federal agency, but most likely, the city will have to hire a private consultant.

The investigation also has to be outlined by the City Manager. This includes a review of Oswald’s allegations, a review of the FMPD internal investigation, an evaluation of Oswald’s claim that he was forced to resign, and looking deeper into the department’s policies and orders regarding internal investigations.

Chief Diggs went on to say he has no issue with an independent review of the investigation, as long as it complies with Florida state law and the officer bill of rights.

Newhouse told the news weeks ago that he would participate in any new investigation saying, “I’ve got nothing to hide.”