Kissimmee Police under continued scrutiny as state attorney probes allegations of misconduct cover-up

Kissimmee Police under continued scrutiny

The Kissimmee Police Department faces intensified scrutiny following a letter from the State Attorney’s Office alleging a history of concealing police misconduct.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The Kissimmee Police Department faces intensified scrutiny following a letter from the State Attorney’s Office alleging a history of concealing police misconduct.

The cases in question span from 2015 to 2023, adding to an ongoing investigation involving 11 Kissimmee officers accused of excessive force.

In a letter to State Attorney Andrew Bain, former Police Chief Betty Holland disclosed that an internal audit of past investigations uncovered multiple incidents that were never reported to the State Attorney’s Office. These unreported cases involve violations related to excessive or unnecessary force by 11 officers across several incidents from 2015 to 2023.

Holland’s letter also noted four instances from 2022 to 2023 where officers’ use of force was deemed compliant with department policy, though entries into residences were improper. Altogether, 15 incidents should have been reported to the State Attorney’s Office, Holland stated.

Former Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolón questioned the administrative oversight.

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"There is an administrative process that was not followed, it appears," he said. "And now the question is why? What prevented the reporting requirements from being met?"

Rolón emphasized that use-of-force cases are typically investigated internally, with excessive force incidents reported to the State Attorney’s Office. He noted, however, that although actions were taken within the department, they were not made public.

Criminal defense attorney Joe Castrofort stressed the importance of transparency, citing the Brady disclosure requirement, which mandates that any information potentially affecting an officer’s credibility must be shared with the defense.

"Brady disclosure is a constitutional requirement, it’s a right of the accused. It’s not a nicety. It’s a requirement," Castrofort said.

This comes after a grand jury criticized the department for fostering a "culture of silence" and "covering up" misconduct. The 15 cases recently identified are separate from the 11 other officers already under investigation for excessive force.

Castrofort warned of possible legal ramifications, saying, "If a person was convicted solely on an officer’s word with no corroborating evidence, and that officer’s word should have been properly questioned, then maybe that person does have a right to a new trial."

Rolón pointed to accountability as a straightforward solution, explaining, "When it comes to the reporting mechanism, that can easily be fixed. You just have to make sure that whenever someone doesn't follow policy, you hold them accountable."

The letter from former Chief Holland, dated October 7 — weeks before her resignation — was followed by a notification from the department to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for further review of the previously undisclosed cases.

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