Sheriff candidates hold public forum in Kissimmee

All saying it was time for incumbent Sheriff Marcos Lopez to be ousted, four of the seven candidates vying for Osceola County sheriff this year gathered last week at a forum at the library Hart Memorial in Kissimmee.

Candidates Donnie Martinez, Angel R. Rojas, Amaryllis Rivera and former Sheriff Russ Gibson showed up and laid out their visions for the sheriff's office, while taking on Sheriff Marcos Lopez.

Although invited, Lopez, along with two other candidates, did not participate.

“I feel like right now here in Osceola we are experiencing a fiasco with Mr. Lopez as the sitting sheriff,” said Rojas, a former Puerto Rico teacher and police officer. “And it is commendable that some citizens like us are coming forward, answering questions and trying to lead and solve the problem.

“What we have now is a failed administration,” said Russ Gibson, who worked for 32 years at the Osceola Sheriff's Office, including one term as sheriff before losing the 2020 Democratic primary to Lopez. Gibson says that during his tenure, the crime rate decreased by 30.6 percent, according to statistics released by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).

“I'm trying to bring a new look to the sheriff's office,” said Donnie Martinez, the only Republican currently running. “I want to be able to rebuild trust with the public, as well as with officers, so we can start to come together and work together to solve some of these issues. And also give the public a voice, because they need to be heard. »

Born and raised in Osceola County, Martinez recently became one of the oldest graduates of the Police Academy. Martinez outlined his priorities as “tools, training and technology,” emphasizing that technology is the most important.

“Things are much worse now than they've ever been,” said Amaryllis Rivera, whose 17-year career with the sheriff's office included supervising the community service officer unit. “More officers have left the Osceola County Sheriff's Office than any other sheriff, so it's definitely time. Instead of complaining about it, I told myself: I'm going to show up and I'm going to try to be the change that I want.

“I have noticed that the integrity of the agency has deteriorated,” Rivera said. “(Lopez) says everywhere that crime is down 7 percent and that's not true.”

Although united on the need to oust Lopez, differences among those present emerged over the need for criminal justice experience to be sheriff – Florida law does not require any specific experience to run or be elected sheriff. Martinez emphasized that the problem is actually a management problem and that someone without a long history of criminal work can bring an outside perspective that could be helpful. Rojas said anyone with appropriate management experience could become sheriff because it is actually a management position, not an enforcement position. And Gibson emphasized that while it is important for a sheriff to have knowledgeable people around to advise him, it is actual experience that gives the sheriff the knowledge of what advice to follow.

Another issue raised was the deadly shooting in May 2022 outside a Kissimmee Target store during an attempted arrest for misdemeanor theft. All agreed changes had to be made to training methods as well as a review of policies surrounding the arrest of those suspected of committing a crime.

The Democratic primary will take place on August 20. The ballot currently also includes former sheriff's staffers Wiley Black and Luis “Tony” Fernandez. The winner of the primary will face Martinez and write-in candidate Tim Devine on November 5.