ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced who will next serve as the city’s police chief on Monday.
The announcement comes less than a week after Chief Orlando Rolón said he would retire Nov. 1, with his last day of work being Aug. 19.
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Dyer said Deputy Chief Eric Smith will take over as the 40th chief of the department. He said Smith has served the community as a member of the Orlando Police Department for 27 years having worked in nearly every department.
Smith is currently the department’s high-risk incident commander and commander of the patrol services bureau overseeing more than 500 officers.
Smith is a 33-year resident of Orlando, who Dyer said originally moved to the city to play football at the University of Central Florida.
READ: Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolón announces retirement
“It’s a honor to be able to lead the men and women of OPD,” Smith said following the announcement.
Rolón said the next three months will serve as a transitional period before Smith takes the lead spot in the department.
Smith’s appointment needs to be confirmed by the city council, but no date for that has been set yet.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced Deputy Chief Eric Smith as next police chief of the Orlando Police Department. #WFTV #OPD pic.twitter.com/rOQWiVVR5H
— Jeff Deal (@JDealWFTV) May 9, 2022
Creating safe neighborhoods is the most critical service @citybeautiful provides. I’m confident that Eric Smith, who I’ve appointed as @OrlandoPolice’s next Chief, is the right person lead the efforts to protect our city, while ensuring equity and inclusion are OPD priorities. pic.twitter.com/wvqofyO87U
— Mayor Buddy Dyer (@orlandomayor) May 9, 2022
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