Deputy Chief Eric Smith was named Orlando’s new police chief Monday following current Chief Orlando Rolón announced he was retiring in November last week.
Smith said it was an “honor” to have been selected during a formal ceremony at OPD headquarters where Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced his appointment.
“I will remain committed to our neighborhoods and work closely with the community,” he said. “…I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the men and women of OPD for their hard work and dedication in giving me this opportunity. Thank you.”
Smith, a 27-year veteran of the agency, is currently in charge of OPD’s Office of Patrol Services.
“As mayor, it has been my priority that our departments develop strong succession plans to identify and train our future leaders, and Chief Smith is an example of that,” Dyer said.
Rolón, the first Hispanic police chief for the city of Orlando, took office in October 2018. In a letter to Dyer, Rolón said he intends to stop working on August 19 and will officially retire on November 1. following a 30-year career with the agency.
“I have had the privilege of serving with the most remarkable men and women in law enforcement dedicated to selfless service without thought of recognition or gain,” Rolón wrote in his letter.
Rolón said his four-year tenure as chief was marked by “unprecedented” challenges, including during the summer of 2020, when downtown Orlando became the center of mass protests following the killing of George Floyd while in custody. of the Minneapolis police.
“The demonstrations in our city were much more than we experienced before, and when other parts of the country experienced unrest during the demonstrations, we managed to maintain order and peace without significant incidents,” said Rolón.
Officers arrested more than 100 people, most for misdemeanors or ordinance violations, during the first six days of demonstrations. Rolón also repeatedly defended the agency’s tactics once morest him, including using tear gas to disperse crowds, which he said was done following officers used non-irritant smoke as a warning and some protesters threw debris at officers. .
*This story was published in the Orlando Sentinel by journalist Monivette Cordeiro. Lisa María Garza contributed to this report.
