City of Orlando Creates New Office of Constitutional Policing

City of Orlando issued the following announcement on April 4.

City of Orlando Creates New Office of Constitutional Policing

City of Orlando Creates New Office of Constitutional Policing at the Orlando Police Department

New Office will Further Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer’s Community Trust & Equity Initiative

Today Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and the Orlando City Council approved an item that will allow for the creation of a new office within the Orlando Police Department to further transparency and equity between officers and the public they serve. 

The creation of the new office, the Office of Constitutional Policing, builds on Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer’s Community Trust and Equity Initiative, a focused plan launched in September 2020, to continue to further community policing and achieve real, meaningful reform. Additionally, this office will assist in the implementation of the recommendations outlined by The Bowman Group, who did an in-depth, independent analysis of the Orlando Police Department to identify opportunities to further transparency and equity in policing efforts, policies, training, operational practices, technology, equipment and data tracking.

“Today we further our commitment to make change to ensure Orlando is a city where every resident feels equally valued, equally protected and has a fair and real opportunity to thrive,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.  “This new office will help further community trust through its role in ensuring our officers not only enforce the law, but protect and respect the civil rights of all our citizens.”

The Office of Constitutional Policing will be comprised of two units, the Constitutional Policing & Policy Implementation Unit and the Accountability and Standards Compliance Unit.  The Constitutional Policing & Policy Implementation Unit will be responsible for monitoring and tracking constitutional policing and community trust, and equity related projects, assisting in policy review and development, as well as developing collection methods, tracking, analyzing, and reporting on data related to constitutional policing, community trust and equity related projects.  The Accountability and Standards Compliance Unit’s primary responsibility will be to review Response to Resistance reports, pro-actively audit body-worn camera video and related information for accuracy and compliance with departmental policy and state statutes.

“A commitment to constitutional and community policing will foster a culture of ethical lawful practices,” said Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolón. “Together they build trust between our officers and the citizens we serve.”

Following the approval of the budget items today, work will begin on establishing the office and filling the necessary positions with a goal to have the office up and operating by June 1, 2022.

For more information on previous actions and investments the City of Orlando has made to date to make change and increase equity in Orlando, please visit orlando.gov/equity. 

Original source can be found here.