OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Deputy Chief Fran Rinehart was a St. Cloud Police officer for more than 30 years.
Yet, earlier this year, he resigned after this investigation that claimed he was spotted several times in his police car with a civilian.
According to the report, Rinehart says there was no relationship but rather a mentorship, telling investigators that he was assisting her with real estate resources, exam questions, and just having coffee.
But police Chief Doug Goerke said it appeared to be an inappropriate relationship and the actions “Not only undermine the public trust…. but also compromises the reputation and credibility of the entire police department, adding, “In your interview, you stated that you can be held to no higher standard than that of our officers. While I agree with your contention, in theory, that all employees are held to the same high standard of integrity and professionalism, I firmly believe that the members of our command staff, including yourself, must be held to an even higher level.”
He was suspended but resigned anyway.
Goerke wrote in a statement to Channel 9 today, “Staff behavior that could damage the trust the St. Cloud Police Department has worked so hard to build with the community will not be tolerated, regardless of rank or tenure achieved. We take the accusations of misconduct very seriously and have conducted a thorough investigation to verify them.”
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