Schools Police Chief Out In Shake-Up

 

BY BUDDY NEVINS

 

 

 

Broward County Schools Police Chief David Golt has been forced out of his job as part of a planned shake-up of the agency.

 

Unknown golt

David Golt during a May School Board meeting. 

 

Superintendent Robert Runcie said Golt was allowed to resign.

Runcie said he wanted to “improve performance of our whole SIU unit” so Golt had to go.  SIU refers to the department’s formal name, Special Investigative Unit.

Golt, a retired Pembroke Pines deputy chief, was hired in 2010.

Rumors that Golt was escorted out of the school HQ by his own officers were false, Runcie said. Office gossip that Golt was under investigation for some sort of wrongdoing was also false, Runcie added.

“He’s a good guy. He is good enough to stick around until the end of June…I just think its time for a change,” Runcie said.

Runcie was circumspect about why he thought Golt needed to leave, but he was obviously disappointed with the chief’s management skills.

The superintendent mentioned that he wanted “SIU to function as a team” in the future, which indicates there were divisions in the ranks. He also said the department’s “management and protocols” needed improvement. Runcie added that he would like to see more cooperation in the future between the school police, city police and the sheriff’s department.

Any further layoffs or changes in personnel will be up to the new chief, who is expected to be in place by the start of the 2014-2015 school year in August.

The job of police chief has become more crucial in the wake of shootings and other incidents around the nation, Runcie said. The proposed $800 million bond issue, which will be voted on in November, has a significant amount set aside to increase school safety.

“The job has become more high profile,” Runcie said. “Its critical. Our first duty is to make sure kids are safe.”

The school police has roughly 50 employees, including 17 detectives.  It investigates wrongdoing by employees, checks the background of applicants, guards School Board meetings and polices the schools with the help of other agencies.

The search for a new police chief will begin this month.

His resignation letter (click to enlarge):

 

golt letter

 

 



14 Responses to “Schools Police Chief Out In Shake-Up”

  1. Sam The Sham says:

    In any business or special event that the local city deems the necessity of some sort of security or law enforcement detail, that business or event MUST pay for their security. Cops are hired all the time for this at concerts or bars or festivals. But the School Board does not pay for security or resource officers in schools. Why do we allow the School Board to escape the responsibility for providing our children with this safety?

    Look at your tax bills and you will see that the School Board taxes you higher than any other entity. Higher than the city or county. They are an extremely well funded entity with a DECLINING student population. They are so mismanaged that they must increase the taxes they extort from us even while their education base decreases.

    Pay more, get less should be their motto.

    The School Police Dept is a joke. They are there to catch crooked teachers and janitors but not give our kids a safe environment. The only way a school gets a resource deputy or officer is if the local city picks up the tab or a generous business pays the bill (Like JM Enterprises does in Deerfield). The poorer schools are SOL, and the school police dept and school board could not give a shiite about them.

  2. Tip of the Iceberg says:

    Maybe the police chief did not agree with the new drug policy the school board passed. It may go against what a law enforcement officer swore to uphold the “law.”

  3. Not Really says:

    The school board pays $40k per school resource officer and the local municipality pays the balance and covers the officers equipment. This is why so many people support that instead of an active, sworn officer a retired officer might be a better option.

  4. Taxpayer says:

    Runcie should contract out the police to BSO or to other agencies. A private firm could do the background checks. If they are good enough for private businesses, they are good enough for government. Security guards could guard the School Board meeting just like they guard people everywhere. Investigations of employees shouldn’t be handled by the school police anyway because that is a conflict.

  5. Juliet Hibbs says:

    I have been working to expose this corrupt piece of garbage. The pic used in this article is from my YouTube channel where his man was allowed to out right lie and me and my case! He was fired….allowed to resign because his department isn’t doing investigations. They fire people with nothing. Many cases over turned and people sued Broward school. SIU has always had its problems. But in the last audit Golt over spend and lost funds over a hundred thousand of the tax payers money. He is or was part of a corrupt school district that protects those that a should be removed. Often those are the administration that get moved up the chain of command. People say NO to the bond money for Broward. NO NEW TAXES

  6. Also Not Really says:

    Hibbs – way to prove how egocentric and bat shit crazy your are. The picture is from the May school board meeting on BECON change coverage. Glad for the kids at DBHS that they are rid of you.

  7. Sam The Sham says:

    @ Not Really

    I don’t believe that what you say is the case. Where can I see proof of it?

  8. Bye Bye Dave says:

    As a member of SIU for many years i can say the .en and women who work at SIU care greatly about school safety,staff and the children. Golt destroyed what was once a very effective unit. His lack of leadership andpeople skills doomed him. He was surrounded by a wealth of talent and experience and failed to utilulize what he had. He lied. He hired unqualified people. One man did so much harm

  9. Johnnie Crew says:

    Golt was a hack for the past regime. He made sure incidents of his “friends” old regime never saw the light of day by delaying, covering up and ignoring recommendations from his own SIU team. He had an agenda and it was to keep the status quo. Administrators do no wrong, but teachers and other staff are always guilty of the charge.

  10. Not Really says:

    They vote on it annually. Look at their agendas. The scumsentinel has written on it as well.

  11. Not Really says:

    http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Broward-County-to-Add-12-Officers-to-Patrol-Elementary-School-in-Six-Cities-227258971.html

  12. Byron says:

    It is good to see Golt getting what he has handed out to so many he framed.

  13. Juliet Hibbs says:

    @ Not Really

    The ONLY pic I see if from the one I posted on YouTube. That was the comment. Not ego centric. Wouldn’t be fighting for transparency, as well as, students and staff rights if it were about me. I would have used and made money if it were not about CHILDREN

  14. Juliet Hibbs says:

    Sued..and used could also apply. I use my story and my channel to expose the corrupt system that we Employ to protect and educate children! Shouldn’t they at least be doing that? Cover ups….crimes against students….abuse on so many levels. Shouldn’t the Police Chief be in it for the kids and NOT personal agendas