Orlando Rolon announced as new Orlando Chief of Police
ORLANDO, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced on Thursday that Orlando Rolon will be the new Orlando Chief of Police.
“I am confident that under Chief Rolon’s dedicated leadership, the Orlando Police Department will continue to work diligently in protecting our community against crime, while implementing best practices, new technologies and national model trainings and initiatives to ensure the department is able to meet the growing needs of our city,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “Chief Rolon has grown through the ranks of OPD over the last 25 years and remains committed to ensuring the safety of everyone in our city.”
Rolon has lived in Orlando for 41 years and will oversee the day-to-day operations of the department and serve as chief counsel to the Mayor in matters of public safety. He has worked 25 years with the Orlando Police Department already, working in all four Department Bureaus and nine of the Department's 11 Divisions. He has served as Commander of the Professional Standards Division, the West Patrol Division, the Traffic Enforcement Section and the Downtown Section. Also, he has served nearly 20 years as part of the Crisis Negotiation Team and was the Team Commander.
He also served as the the agency’s lead for the White House Police Data Initiative in 2016. This helped make Orlando’s police department the first in Florida to join and increase department transparency. Then in 2017, Rolon led a team of Orlando Police Officers deployed to Puerto Rico after Hurricanes Irma and Maria to assist with aid and recovery efforts. And most recently, Rolon has served as the Bureau Commander for the Patrol Services Bureau, the largest section of OPD, comprised of 408 sworn and civilian personnel.
Rolon graduated from the 263rd Session of the FBI National Academy and has also completed the FBI Florida Executive Development Program. He is a founding member and past president of the Central Florida Chapter of the National Latino Peace Officers Association. He also served in the United States Marine Corps Reserves from 1982 to 1986. He is currently working on a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Columbia College.
Rolon's appointment go before the Orlando City Council on October 22, 2018, for confirmation. MIna's lastt day will be on October 26th and his retirement is effective on December 1st. During this interim, Rolon will serve as Acting Chief and assume the position of Chief of Police on December 2, 2018.
Rolon will be Orlando's 39th Police Chief and succeeds current Chief John Mina, who is retiring after nearly 28 years of service to the citizens of Orlando. Mina announced in February 2018 that he will run for Orange County Sheriff in 2020. Current Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings will become the Orange County Mayor in January 2019.
“Over the past four years, through the leadership of Chief Mina, our city has continued to see reductions in overall crime year after year,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “Chief Mina launched new initiatives aimed at increasing department transparency and furthering our community policing efforts to continue to build trust between officers and residents. He also made officer safety, training and health and well-being a top priority.”
A press conference was held Thursday to make announce Rolon's new position.