ABOVE: Dale Engle, photo via the Davie Police Department.
DAVIE, Fla. (AP) | A South Florida police chief has announced his retirement months after an investigation into alleged remarks he made about the coronavirus death of openly gay Broward Sheriff’s Deputy Shannon Bennett.
Davie police Chief Dale Engle told town officials last week that he plans to retire on Sept. 3, the South Florida SunSentinel reported. He has been on paid leave for three months and will continue to be paid until he retires.
Engle was accused of saying Broward Sheriff’s school resource officer Bennett died because of his lifestyle. On Monday night, Engle told the SunSentinel he didn’t make the remark.
Engle was placed on leave shortly after the state’s Fraternal Order of Police filed a complaint against him. He said Davie officials didn’t pressure him to retire and that he is leaving on his own with no pressure from the city.
Engle had been with the department for more than two decades. Officials asked retired chief Patrick Lynn to return to lead the department after Engle was placed on leave.
The announcement follows Equality Florida’s demand that Engle be terminated. The organization sent a letter to Broward officials July 8. You can read it in full below:
July 8, 2020
Mr. Richard J. Lemack, Town Administrator
Re: Investigation of Davie Police Chief Dale Engle for homophobic remarks
Dear Mr. Lemack:
Equality Florida is aware of the investigation of Davie Police Chief Dale Engle for his homophobic remarks during a patrol briefing on April 7, 2020. Multiple sources report that in that briefing Chief Engle outrageously asserted Broward Sheriff’s Deputy Shannon Bennett died of COVID-19 because of his homosexual lifestyle.
In these challenging moments, we need our leaders and public servants to be standing with us, not demonizing us. Deputy Bennett was a treasured member of the LGBTQ community and dedicated his career to ensuring the most vulnerable individuals in our society could find safety and support. The offensive comments attributed to Chief Engle robbed Deputy Bennett, and all LGBTQ people, of the dignity and respect they deserve.
Equality Florida calls on the Town of Davie to terminate Chief Engle’s employment if these reports are substantiated. As a leader of Davie’s law enforcement agency, he has failed to demonstrate the respect and leadership skills needed to protect all individuals who reside or visit Davie.
Equality Florida is the state’s largest civil rights organization dedicated to ensuring full equality for Florida’s LGBTQ community, including protection from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodation. We welcome any opportunity to work with Davie to advance protections for its LGBTQ citizens and ensure that Davie is a safe and welcoming place for everyone to live, work, and visit.
Sincerely,
Jon Harris Maurer
Public Policy Director
Equality Floridacc:
Mayor Judy Paul
Councilmember Bryan Caletka, District 1
Councilmember Caryl Hattan, District 2
Councilmember Susan Starkey, District 3
Councilmember Marlon Luis, District 4
Bennett was the first law enforcement in Florida to die from COVID-19. He had been in Chicago with friends to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day days before falling ill. He died April 3. Read more about his life from South Florida Gay News.
