Community leaders react to Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo's resignation

TaMaryn Waters

Community leaders, stunned by the abrupt resignation of Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo say he faced a host of challenges. Some say he met them head-on, others say those challenges got the best of him. 

DeLeo on Wednesday submitted a three-page resignation letter to City Manager Reese Goad, stating he's been given an opportunity "to address criminal justice and homeland security challenges on a national scale while having additional time with my family."

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

His last day will be July 5. DeLeo's decision to resign comes as the city grapples with a rash of shootings — a total of 37 that resulted in 33 injuries and seven deaths so far this year, a database compiled by the Tallahassee Democrat shows. 

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

As recently as last month, DeLeo joined other law enforcement officials and community leaders in public town-hall meetings and in launching an unprecedented partnership of federal, state and local agencies to remove guns and criminals from the street.

But, after nearly six years as chief, DeLeo also faced internal turmoil within his department.

Lack of promotion and racial discrimination created low morale in the department

Last year, the Police Benevolent Association released survey findings that showed the majority of officers believed favoritism, a lack of promotion opportunities and low morale plagued the department. Many of the members blamed their chief as did County Commissioner Bill Proctor.

County Commissioner Bill Proctor joined a few hundred marchers in Tallahassee Thursday to support the restoration of voting rights for felons in the state of Florida. The demonstration was held in support of Amendment 4, representing a restoration of civil and voting rights to the 1.6 million felons who are currently denied those rights in the state.

"I am tremendously relived that our community has a new opportunity to achieve a higher level of leadership in the post of police chief,” said Proctor, who on several occasions called for DeLeo's resignation and accused him of racial discrimination against minority officers. 

"The police officers who have suffered under him are probably singing, 'Oh, happy day,'” said the District 1 commissioner. 

Adner Marcelin, president of the Tallahassee Branch of the NAACP, said the organization was concerned about anonymous complaints that black officers were intentionally denied promotions. 

"I know the police department had to be under pressure to respond to that," he said. 

President of the Tallahassee branch of the NAACP Adner Marcelin gives closing remarks during the Martin Luther King Jr. commemorative breakfast at Donald L. Tucker Civic Center Friday, Jan. 18, 2019.

However, Marcelin and others said DeLeo did the best he could, considering budget restraints to hire more officers impacted the department's response to crime. 

DeLeo: Not all negative views 

“Overall, I do think the chief police was a good police chief. I don’t know where this next career opportunity will take him. But I certainly wish him the best," Marcelin said. 

Others lauded DeLeo for his treatment of victims and shepherding a systematic and cultural shift within the department that spilled out into the community.

Meg Baldwin

For example, he redirected resources and added more training for the department's Special Victims Unit, said Meg Baldwin, executive director of the Refuge House, which offers shelter and assistance to victims of domestic and sexual violence. 

Baldwin said DeLeo became the department's chief at the tail end of the department's rape investigation into former star Florida State University football player Jameis Winston. 

"We had a very rough introduction at that point," Balwin said. Now she says, "the Special Victims Unit has been transformed into a highly effective investigative team that is well trained and interacts with survivors. It’s really been my pleasure to observe that evolution.”

Jeff Binkley, father of Maura Binkley, speaks to the crowd gathered on the front steps of the Florida Historic Capitol to celebrate the launch of Maura's Voice Monday, March 4, 2019. Maura's Voice is a foundation created to research and understand the relationship between mental illness, hate and violence.

Jeff Binkley, father of Florida State student Maura Binkley, one of two victims who was killed in a mass shooting last year at a hot yoga studio in Midtown, said DeLeo and the police department "demonstrated nothing but the highest level of humanity, support and professionalism."

"We are forever grateful, and will also never forget how he stood with us as we launched Maura’s Voice and made sure we knew that he would be there going forward to do anything he could for us," he said. "Tallahassee has been fortunate to have Michael DeLeo lead its Police Department."

The Rev. Darrick McGhee, pastor of Bible Based Church, said he was shocked to hear about DeLeo's resignation and he didn't see it coming. 

Darrick McGhee, lobbyist for Johnson & Blanton.

He's heard DeLeo speak on two occasions, most recently at a community meeting where residents spoke out against the relocation of the police station on the south side. 

Tallahassee's problems are 'bigger than one man'

As more public and social media conversations take place on violence in Tallahassee, McGhee said he believes the police chief plays a role but is not the sole force to turn the tide on crime. 

While DeLeo's resignation is notable, McGhee said Tallahassee's problems are bigger than one man. He expressed a sense of frustration with the status quo. 

“I’m not convinced or at peace that his resignation combats anything we are dealing with in our city," said McGhee, who's the president of the United Way of the Big Bend's Board of Directors. "I’ve been exhausted with the many conversations. I’m losing the faith to believe that there is really a motivation to do something."

He grew emotional as he talked. As the father of a young black teenage son, McGhee talked about recent headlines detailing allegations of violent crimes and teens, some with ties to his church. The Los Angeles native said he's crushed to hear young high-school and college-bound members, who are seeing their peers incarcerated or worse. 

"They are asking me out their own mouths 'Do I really have a chance to make it? Do I really have a future'?" McGhee said, who's calling on faith-based leaders, city and county officials to do more. "I’m desperate on their behalf.”

Contact TaMaryn Waters at tlwaters@tallahassee.com or follow @TaMarynWaters on Twitter.