Changes to weapons, hiring practices at Punta Gorda PD

The Punta Gorda Police Department has made weapons, demonstration and hiring policy changes since an officer shot and killed a 73-year-old woman during a routine public presentation last month.

The community has mourned Mary Knowlton, a retired librarian, while Officer Lee Coel remains on administrative leave as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducts a criminal investigation.

Molly Best, FDLE spokeswoman, said she could not provide a timetable for when the investigation into the Aug. 9 shooting would be completed.

Since the incident during a Chamber of Commerce police event, the department has taken steps to ensure more structure during community demonstrations, according to the city’s incident overview website.

A safety officer will remain in the room during the event and will be responsible for keeping a first aid kid and automated external defibrillator on hand and making sure none of the weapons used for training purposes have live ammunition.

“In an effort to ensure that such a tragedy such as this never happens again, we have proposed new accreditation standards relating to scenario-based training and community demonstrations,” according to the department’s website.

The department changed its weapons and personnel policies, including getting rid of guns capable of firing live ammunition during community presentations and establishing a safety officer role during scenario-based training.

Access to the department’s armory has been limited to the police chief, operations commander, employee development coordinator and two firearms instructors chosen by the chief. Training weapons can no longer be stored alongside real weapons in the armory. An annual inventory will be taken to make sure the armory is clean and orderly.

Lt. Katie Heck, a Punta Gorda spokeswoman, said the department is not commenting on its policy changes.

Coel, a K-9 officer hired in 2014, was asked to resign from his previous job with the Miramar Police Department in Broward County. He left that agency amid two internal affairs investigations alleging excessive force.

One was not sustained, but found he transported a man to jail while driving more than 90 miles an hour on a highway, well over the speed limit. The second investigation found Coel acted wrongly when he caused a man to fall onto the floor while pulling him out of his patrol car.

Coel's use of force was questioned again in October 2015 when he allowed his police dog, Spirit, to maul Richard Schumacher during an arrest. Coel's ability to use Spirit was suspended as the department investigated the case. Schumacher was chased by Coel for riding his bike without lights.

It is unclear if Coel’s work history has anything to do with department hiring changes, but a new policy states any previous internal affairs investigation that are proven true or uncover lying will exclude a candidate from being hired. Any misdemeanor drug use within the last 36 months or felony possessions within the past 60 months will also disqualify candidates.

Once the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is finished with its criminal investigation, the department’s internal affairs investigation will begin.

Because of the number of police department personnel who were present at the fatal shoot/don’t shoot presentation in August, only one police officer will be involved with the investigation.

Lt. Terry Cochran will be assisted by former Cape Coral police Chief Arnold Gibbs and Miami-based labor law firm Allen, Norton & Blue.

Previous coverage 

Punta Gorda police thought gun that killed woman only had blanks

Healing starts for witnesses after fatal Punta Gorda shooting

Officer who killed Punta Gorda woman resigned from previous job

Punta Gorda officer resigned from last job amid two investigations

'Librarian angel,' accidentally shot by police, mourned in Punta Gorda