COCOA BEACH, Fla. — Cocoa Beach will be without a police chief – for now – after the city struck an agreement with Chief Scott Rosenfeld that will result in his early retirement.
Under the terms of the agreement, the city will pay the embattled chief to stay away from his workplace until his official retirement date on Aug. 31, 2024.
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The agreement immediately ends all investigations into Rosenfeld, who had been accused of leading a toxic workplace where employees were routinely made to feel uncomfortable.
According to investigative reports, Rosenfeld was accused of making sexist comments, being hyper-focused on body image and trying to influence interviews. The chief denied those claims to investigators, who declared many of them unfounded.
Read: Cocoa Beach police chief under internal investigation, placed on leave
Still, they said a reasonable person would find his management style abusive.
Rosenfeld will be allowed to retire without marks on his record and will be allowed to work elsewhere while collecting his Cocoa Beach salary.
One city employee, speaking under the condition of anonymity, said they were dismayed by the agreement. They said it gave the appearance that the chief was being rewarded for his behavior.
Read: Man accused of attacking woman inside park bathroom in Cocoa Beach
It was unclear why the city decided to end all investigations and strike the deal. Rosenfeld had been on administrative leave since employees began complaining earlier this year.
The staff member said they were under the impression Rosenfeld would be allowed to step down immediately.
A city release said the deputy chief would lead the department while the city management searched for an interim chief.
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