'He gave it his best shot': TPD Chief Michael DeLeo resigns as Tallahassee's top cop

Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo’s almost 6-year tenure, pockmarked by a consistent battle with crime and its public perception, came to an end Wednesday after he tendered his resignation to city leadership.

He will remain TPD's chief through July 5 when Maj. Steve Outlaw will take over, serving as interim police chief until a nationwide search is completed to fill the position. 

DeLeo notified his ranks in an email to the entire department Wednesday morning when he also submitted his letter of resignation to City Manager Reese Goad. 

Goad told the Tallahassee Democrat the decision to resign was DeLeo's and that nationally, average police chief tenures are about five years. In a written statement, he lauded DeLeo's work in Tallahassee.

"I would like to thank Chief DeLeo for his five years of public service to the citizens of Tallahassee," Goad wrote. "During this time, many strides have been made to enhance public safety, including the implementation of a variety of community oriented policing strategies and citizen focused initiatives."

More:Read the resignation letter from Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo

TPD chief's resignation comes after a sometimes tumultuous tenure

Rumors of DeLeo's imminent departure have swirled for months.

His resignation comes during an ongoing, multi-agency operation to stem a rash of shootings that have plagued the city this year. The gun violence has continued during the crackdown with two shootings,one of them fatal. 

It also comes just a month after a scathing arbitrator’s report that he fired an officer after changing his own internal investigators recommendations.

In his letter, DeLeo acknowledged his sometimes tumultuous tenure. He also pointed to successes. 

“There is an old saying, ‘May you live in interesting times,’ and my tenure has certainly been interesting,” he wrote.

"I have had the opportunity to work with three city managers, three assistant city managers, three mayors, four sheriffs, three United States attorneys, two state attorneys and five Consolidated Dispatch Agency directors," he continued. “Despite the uncertainty, the Tallahassee Police Department has made significant strides in making our community safer over the last five and a half years.”

Back story:

• 'Unprecedented' law enforcement effort nets two guns, 13 pounds of drugs and 84 arrests
• Inside Day 1 of the 'unprecedented' operation to thwart gun violence in Tallahassee

DeLeo pointed to problems that existed when he arrived and the work put in to mitigate them: a dismal response time to high-priority calls, persistent crime driven by gun violence, his officers working without the proper resources, transparency with the public and work within communities beset by crime.

“I am extremely proud and humbled to have been able to represent the men and women of the Tallahassee Police Department,” he wrote. “This community is blessed to have the caliber of officer and support staff serving it each day. It has been a remarkable journey and I know that the future holds much promise for TPD.”

'We wish him the best': DeLeo praised by city leaders

Elected city leaders noted DeLeo’s attention to working in the community and his openness to discussion. 

State Attorney Jack Campbell said the position of chief of police is not an easy one. DeLeo brought change to a department that was swimming upstream.

“He’s put in a tremendous amount of hard work in Tallahassee, and I am confident he will be successful and so will the Tallahassee Police Department going into the future,” said Campbell, who was elected in 2016.

City Commissioner Curtis Richardson said DeLeo's contribution over the last five years was immense. DeLeo predated any of the current city officials, but ushered in a different approach to crime.

“He was responsible for the community oriented approach that we use, brought in 55 additional officers and modernized the police department with technology and is continuing to address crime that continues to dog us,” Richardson said. “He’s accomplished quite a bit. I’m sorry to see him go.”

Commissioner Diane Williams-Cox, who has been on the commission roughly 6 months, said she appreciated DeLeo’s approachable nature.

“I appreciate his welcoming any comment or suggestions. He seemed to be open to that,” she said. “I didn’t get a chance to work with him up close and personal but we had a good relationship. We wish him the best in his future endeavor.”

Mayor John Dailey offered resounding appreciation for DeLeo’s work.

“Mike gave us five great years at the city of Tallahassee, and I personally appreciate his dedication to our community,” he said. “He gave it his best shot.”

Taking on a history of violence

DeLeo, who said he has been presented with an opportunity to take on criminal justice and homeland security issues on a national level, was brought in from his post at the Plantation Police Department in December 2013. His hiring followed the resignation of Dennis Jones, who faced widespread criticism for the violent arrest that injured Christina West.

He immediately took on the sometimes daily shootings that continue to plague the city, starting his tenure by declaring that Tallahassee had a gun violence problem.

He came in at a time when TPD was facing heat for violating its own rules. In the five years before taking the reins, officers faced grand jury scrutiny for the West incident, the fatal handling of confidential informant Rachel Hoffman and TPD’s handling of then FSU Quarterback Jameis Winston's sexual battery investigation.  

He has also shepherded his department through several high-profile, public acts of violence.

He was on scene in the aftermath of the Florida State University Strozier Library shooting, spent the night updating the public about the fatal Hot Yoga shooting and his officers made three arrests in the murder of FSU law professor Dan Markel. TPD stood by the Leon County Sheriff's Office in the wake of the murder of Deputy Chris Smith. 

While the city and county grappled with having the highest crime rate in the state for four years running, DeLeo also ushered in a change in the way TPD interacts within communities they spend the most time, working to implement a community-based policing approach.  

Despite the recent uptick in shootings, violent crime within the city limits has declined by 28% since 2015. Just last year, the city boasted its lowest crime rate in 20 years.

"While many people look at these numbers as just statistics, the fact is that these numbers represent people being victimized and victims for whom we find justice," DeLeo wrote in his resignation letter. 

A loss of confidence

But he has also faced criticism from within his own ranks.

In April 2018, an overwhelming majority of TPD’s officers who are members of the Big Bend Police Benevolent Association had no confidence in DeLeo as a leader.

In 2015, he faced backlash and a dismissed ethics complaint over a relationship with a female TPD investigator.

The PBA also took on his firing of former officer Damian Pearson last year. Pearson, fearing for his life, shot at a vehicle in March 2017 that had slammed into his patrol cruiser which then hit him and fled.

An arbitrator’s report surfaced last month that found that DeLeo subjectively fired Pearson.

TPD’s internal investigators found that Pearson acted within the department’s use-of-force guidelines. However, according to the arbitrator’s report, DeLeo “directed that the findings be changed.” DeLeo responded that he followed proper procedure.

The PBA concerns indicated a crack in the trust between TPD rank-and-file and leadership even as the agency has managed to whittle a persistently high crime down to its lowest level since 2013.

"The overall thrust of the written comments indicates a lack of trust in the chief of police, administrative leadership and lack of support from City Hall with a lot of officers calling the chief a liar and poor example," PBA leadership wrote in a summary of the survey.

Contact Karl Etters at ketters@tallahassee.com or @KarlEtters on Twitter

Statement from CITY MANAGER REESE GOAD

"Today, I accepted the resignation of Police Chief Michael DeLeo. Effective July 6, Major Steve Outlaw will begin serving as Interim Chief. A nationwide search will begin immediately to permanently fill the position.

I would like to thank Chief DeLeo for his five years of public service to the citizens of Tallahassee. During this time, many strides have been made to enhance public safety, including the implementation of a variety of community oriented policing strategies and citizen focused initiatives. The department recently received international recognition for its leadership in community policing and efforts toward inclusive community collaboration.

This community policing philosophy provides a solid foundation for the department as officers uphold TPD’s core values of trust, loyalty and commitment. Serving the Capital City since 1841, the department has a distinguished history, serving as the third oldest law enforcement agency in the United States. When formalized local public safety efforts began nearly 200 years ago, a single night watchman was tasked with keeping the peace. Today, it takes 410 sworn officers, 125 non-sworn members and a host of temporary and volunteer civilians, along with a $59 million budget, to ensure citizen safety. As the longest nationally accredited agency in the country, TPD is a national leader, one that continues to evolve by integrating modern policing approaches and strengthening community relationships.

Moving forward, TPD will build on its successes and remain a model agency. I would like to thank all the TPD officers and employees for faithfully serving this community. The action of any police officer can impact an individual for life and a community for generations. The loyalty and dedication of our officers are unwavering, as is our support for them."