Orlando Police Chief Paul Rooney is resigning as the city's top cop, and Mayor Buddy Dyer is expected to appoint Deputy Chief John Mina to the job later this morning.
It's a voluntary exit for Rooney, 49, who spent his entire career at OPD and was generally well-liked among officers and at City Hall. With 28 years on the job, he's leaving with a maxed-out pension to take a job as director of security at Valencia College.
Dyer appointed Rooney to the chief's job just three years ago.
At a news conference today, Dyer will announce his appointment of Mina as chief. Mina, 45, is another OPD lifer.
As deputy chief, he now commands of the Patrol Bureau, the department's largest. He's served in a number of divisions and roles since he was hired out of the Police Academy at age 22: patrol, criminal investigations, the sex crimes unit, drug enforcement, community policing and training. He also spent 17 years on the SWAT Team, including time as its commander.
The last Orlando chief, Val Demings, resigned with a full pension after less than four years in the top job. She mounted an unsuccessful congressional campaign, and is now running for Orange County mayor.
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McClatchy-Tribune News Service
