Police union responds to arbitration ruling on FMPD promotion process

An arbitrator found officers were passed over for promotions amid concerns about how decisions are being made the Fort Myers Police Department.

The Fort Myers Police Department is required to promote officers from an eligibility list but in filling two jobs that opened in 2020, Police Chief Derrick Diggs promoted officers from a 2021 eligibility list and skipped over a previous list of officers eligible for promotions.

The arbitrator said that was a mistake and now the department will have to pay to make it right.

It was a win for the police union.

Matt Sellers, the president of the Gulf Coast Police Benevolent Association, said the decision sets a precedent.

“Clearly the chief violated this section of the contract. Clearly violated it in a way that left two officers at the very least without a chance to be promoted,” Sellers said. “It’s a significant win for our membership and giving our members their rights.”

The arbitration ruling comes at a time when the union has called for more transparency from Diggs.

WINK News requested an interview with Diggs to discuss the ruling but the department has no comment at this time.

When Diggs addressed the media last month, he touted the work he has done to improve the city and the department.

He said: “I was brought down here to make this city safer and curb the violent crime, and we’ve done that. We are a better agency.”

But that’s not the case for Sellers.

Sellers said there is a morale issue.

“This is a problem. This is a sincere problem,” Sellers said. “I don’t understand his motivation. Clearly, that’s a problem when it comes to morale.”

The arbitration ruling is clear in how the promotional process should play out the next time Fort Myers police fill vacancies.

And that’s what the police union wants to see.

“He’s supposed to honor the arbitrator’s decision. Until that happens, I’d like to see that happen first before I make a statement about that,” Sellers said.