Updated: The PBA Retracts Call for Investigation of Tallahassee Police Chief DeLeo

Updated: The PBA Retracts Call for Investigation of Tallahassee Police Chief DeLeo

Update

Thursday morning, the Big Bend PBA issued the following retraction:

“The Big Bend Chapter of FL PBA Board of Directors voted last night at their monthly meeting to retract yesterday’s press release given by President Steven B. Slade that Chief DeLeo be investigated. Please contact those board members for further information.

“However, Steven B. Slade, who also serves as the FL PBA Vice President of Chapters, stands by the request to have the incident reviewed by City officials.

“Vice President Slade stated, “The rank and file of law enforcement agencies are investigated daily on allegations from citizens whether anonymous or in person throughout the State of Florida. Management regardless of rank should be held to the same scrutiny.””

Original Story

The Big Bend Chapter of the Florida Police Benevolent Association issued a press release today encouraging “the City’s leadership to conduct a full investigation of Chief DeLeo’s troubled tenure in Tallahassee exploring issues outlined in the February 13th compliant….”

The February 13th complaint referenced in the release was filed with the Tallahassee Human Relations Council. The complaint alleges the DeLeo administration has overlooked minorities for promotions. The complaint was signed “Concerned Employees of TPD.”

The release states that Big Bend Chapter President, Steven B. Slade, reviewed a copy of the anonymous complaint and acknowledged his own concerns with Chief DeLeo.

For example, Slade stated that he has a tumultuous relationship with Chief DeLeo and that he was reassigned to the Patrol Division along with many of the senior Lieutenants in the police department.

Slade also added that the PBA conducted a survey of its members and 86% of the returned surveys defined Chief DeLeo as an “ineffective leader.”

The Association’s survey results were previously sent to the City Commission and interim City Manager Reese Goad.

18 Responses to "Updated: The PBA Retracts Call for Investigation of Tallahassee Police Chief DeLeo"

  1. Maybe the ethics officer could look into this – ok I almost said that with a straight face she would probably just say she has no jurisdiction like all of the other complaints. Why can we not vote abolish the ethics office? They are a drain on resources and provide nothing in return. What does she even do all day?

  2. The PBA has given alot of money to charties in the past. I think its a pretty decent organization and in my limited dealings with Steve Slade he has been nothing but honorable.

    1. I believe what you are saying is true. But, he seems to have a disdain for Chief DeLeo and I don’t understand why?

      I don’t think it is healthy nor helpful to this community.

      I applaud the board members for reeling him back in.

  3. Here is my concern… Does Cynthia Barber have law enforcement experience?

    Slade pulled a previous stunt attempting to discredit DeLeo… strike one.

    Slade accidentally fired a gun… strike two.

    Slade fires up Proctor to incite discordance… strike three.

    Slade’s endorsement of Lisa Brown was ridiculous. Her credit union recently had a breach where the members accounts were compromised and funds illegally withdrawn not once not twice not three times, but four times in a row before they caught on.

    Her credit union was not helping members get their funds back. In fact they were made to jump through hoops shuffled back to member services and then card services and the funds weren’t restored within the required 10 days.

    Slade needs to look into who compromised the credit union’s debit card accounts because Lisa Brown sure wasn’t on top of it.

      1. No, this has to do with Slade being a puppet for City Hall and other political entities. On top of being of no use to the police force ……..or even a hinderance…..

    1. Hope: I was unaware of this alleged incompetence by Lisa Brown until now. That should have been Exhibit A during the primary.

  4. I see where this accidental shooting took place in 2015. Not sure what that has to do with this story. That would be the same as me bringing up the story about Chief Deleo sleeping with a subordinate and then saying there was no policy saying he couldnt.

  5. So – Loose Cannon Proctor knew (Barney Fife) Slade had all this baggage AND also knew that the ‘Highly Respected AlMighty’ City of Tallahassee (IN)Human Resources Relations Committee reviews this ANONYMOUSLY submitted letter? Mark – Where’s Rocky Hannah in this Debacle? I’m laughing so hard – I’m crying!!!! FBI?

  6. PBA president drops lawsuit against TPD chief

    KARL ETTERS | DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER | 12:24 pm EST December 12, 2015

    The Big Bend’s police union president has dropped a lawsuit filed against Tallahassee Police Department Chief Michael DeLeo claiming missteps in the way he was disciplined after he accidentally shot his gun inside headquarters.

  7. Steven Slade fired off a gun in the TPD headquarters accidentally and almost killed an officer. (https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2015/11/25/pba-chief-accidentally-shot-gun-tpd-headquarters/76364260/)

    That’s why Slade is on desk duty. For decades the PBA ran the TPD’s firings hirings and promotions. They picked the senior leadership team. They don’t anymore. That’s why they’re mad. We shouldn’t have a union making personnel decisions. Even more pathetic that Slade is so desperate for political support that he is going to Bill Proctor for help, who wants a police citizen review committee. Steven Slade (PBA) endorsed Dailey, Bob Lotane and Lisa Brown and have 0 political support, hence why they go to Proctor. PBA surveys are misleading because only those who care about the PBA bother returning them. If you run the numbers, the number of disgruntled people from these surveys is always 15-20% of the force. You can’t keep everyone happy. Life goes on…

  8. Not the same Steven Slade is it? From the Democrat:

    The report says that on Sept. 24, Lt. Steve Slade was cleaning his Glock .40-caliber backup handgun in his second-floor office and attempted to clear a round from the chamber to unload it when it went off.

    The bullet went through the gun’s loaded magazine Slade was holding, bounced off his desk and through a fanny pack before heading through a wall.It crossed TPD Capt. Elizabeth Dillon’s office before becoming lodged in the wall.

    The internal investigation found the cause of the accidental shooting was operator error.

  9. The culprit behind the COT scene is Cynthia Barber; plain and simple. And Barber set DeLeo up for this hit. Pre-planned and designed through Barber’s massive disorganizational abilities. Come out swinging DeLeo! When the full story is told; you’ll see DeLeo was Barber’s puppet; this wasn’t his doing; all because the new station didn’t pass on the Southside; someone has to be smacked….

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