The Sanford police chief criticized for his department's handling of the Trayvon Martin shooting case will resign permanently today, the city announced today.
Update at 2:14 p.m. ET: The resignation will part of a separation agreement with Chief Billy Lee Jr. that commissioners will be asked to approved later today.
"Under the separation agreement, Chief Lee would resign from his post, effective at midnight tonight," the city said in a statement. "The chief's resignation comes a month after he was allowed to temporarily step down from his position as police chief in an effort to aid in restoring calm to the City in the wake of protests surrounding the Trayvon Martin investigation."
Original post: A public notice for the meeting says only that commissioners would consider adoption of a "resolution relating to the police department," The Sanford Herald reports.
Lee stepped down temporarily on March 22 following a public outcry over the police response to the shooting of the unarmed teen by a neighborhood watch volunteerGeorge Zimmerman.
Zimmerman, 28,was arrested last week on charges of second-degree murder in the case. He was released today on $150,000 bond.
Re: Police chief in Trayvon Martin case resigning permanently
Hmm. I have mixed feelings on this. On the one hand, it's his department and he is ultimately responsible for the conduct of his employees.
On the other hand, if he wasn't on scene that night, what more could he have done? The damage was done that night when no evidence was collected, no photos were taken,and Zimmerman wasn't in custody.
He should have instructed his department to take photos, statements and collect evidence anytime a fatality occurs in his jurisdiction.
Has he said he wasn't aware of anything about the investigation until the next day? Wouldn't it be likely that he was called/notified of the death and investigation that night?
Are you united with the CCOKCs?