BARTOW, Fla. — A new report claims discord among leadership, declining morale, and severe burnout is causing “turmoil” at Bartow Police Department.
The report was produced by a pair of outside consultants hired by Bartow City Manager Mike Herr in June to conduct a review of the police department.
According to Herr, when he became city manager in January, he interviewed police employees and quickly learned of “deep-seated issues that needed to be addressed.”
The report concluded that many officers have lost trust in their leaders, including Chief Bryan Dorman, who’s served at the department in various capacities since 1998.
The probe discovered that the department’s deputy chief, Lauro Diaz, openly bad-mouthed Dorman in front of others.
“The most emergent issue within the Bartow Police Department is a leadership crisis,” the report concluded. “Given the declining climate of the department, a prompt change in leadership is necessary.”
The report also found that the department struggles with quality in some areas.
Through an interview with State Attorney Brian Haas, the consultants learned that Haas does not trust Bartow detectives’ work on major crimes, including homicides, sexual batteries, and child sex crime cases.
“Any such cases must include the investigative involvement by the [Polk County Sheriff’s Office] or another such agency,” consultants wrote.
In the review, consultants also discovered that the city’s dispatch center, known as the Emergency Communications Center (ECC), is understaffed, woefully overworked, and at a “crisis point.”
“Of the total 11 full-time positions needed to staff the 24/7 function, two positions are currently vacant, and three telecommunicators are in training. This leaves the remaining five ECC members and one ECC supervisor to cover four shifts, working approximately 120-160 hours every two weeks,” consultants wrote in the report. “Mandatory overtime is in effect and is causing burnout for existing members. In interviews, the consultants heard at least one report of a trainee who was used to answer and dispatch calls within their first days on the job, without having the training."
“The City of Bartow should consider the value of contracting out for emergency call answering and dispatching services,” they concluded.
City Commissioner Steve Githens thinks some of the report is exaggerated and doesn’t think the low morale or behind-the-scenes drama at Bartow Police Department puts the public at risk.
“Turmoil is not a word I would use to describe their operation,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anything at all to be worried about.”
Githens, however, thinks there are improvements to be made.
For one, he thinks the city is focused on hiring more dispatchers to solve the ongoing burnout at the ECC.
“I think it’s a matter of time when we get other people in there,” Githens said.
He said the department is also working to improve detectives’ skill sets so they can one day conduct major crime investigations without the county’s assistance.
“They have started to up their game,” he said. Now, it’s a process. It’s nothing that’s going to change overnight. It’s got to be worked on.”
Most importantly, he thinks an upcoming change in leadership will resolve other problems identified in the report.
According to Herr, Diaz resigned last Friday to dedicate more time to his political campaign in Palm Beach County, where he’s running for sheriff.
Herr said Dorman is slated to retire on September 1. His replacement will be announced later this week.
As for the others who work at Bartow Police, Herr believes they are still dedicated to protecting and serving the community well. The department recently renewed its dual accreditation despite the ongoing drama, Herr said.
“At every turn in the road, I see good individuals. I have never seen anybody from the Bartow Police Department that I don’t out-and-out trust,” Githens added.
