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Several Kissimmee PD employees terminated, suspended after misconduct investigation

Several Kissimmee PD employees terminated, suspended after misconduct investigation
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      WESH TWO. NEWS STARTS RIGHT NOW WESH TWO. ON TOP OF THE BIG STORIES ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA, CREWS IN OSCEOLA, ORANGE AND BREVARD COUNTY’S THIS AFTERNOON, BRINGING YOU LATEBREAKING INFORMATION. AND IT STARTS WITH BREAKING NEWS IN OSCEOLA COUNTY. MORE CHANGES FOLLOWING A MAJOR FALLOUT AT THE KISSIMMEE POLICE DEPARTMENT. GOOD AFTERNOON. I’M NANCY ALVAREZ. I’M JESSE PAGON. IN THE LAST TWO HOURS, THE DEPARTMENT REVEALED THE RESULTS OF AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION STEMMING FROM A CASE OF EXCESSIVE FORCE. THE CASE LED TO A CHANGE AT THE TOP WITH POLICE CHIEF BETTY HOLLAND RESIGNING AND NEW CHIEF CHARLES BROADWAY TAKING OVER. TODAY, BROADWAY REVEALED THE RESULTS OF AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED BY THE ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. WESH TWO LUANA MUNOZ JOINS US LIVE FROM KISSIMMEE PD WITH THE LATE BREAKING DETAILS. LUANA. THAT INVESTIGATION WAS 300 PAGES LONG, AND TODAY WE HEARD FROM CHIEF BROADWAY SAYING THAT THERE WERE 13 INDIVIDUALS IN TOTAL THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THAT 2023 EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE CASE. NOW, HERE IS THE VERY LATEST THAT WE KNOW OF THE NEWEST INVOLVED THE TERMINATION OF FOUR OFFICERS FOR A RANGE OF ISSUES LIKE TRUTHFULNESS OR STANDARD OF CONDUCT. TWO OFFICERS WERE DEMOTED, INCLUDING A SERGEANT, FOR FALSIFYING REPORTS TO MINIMIZE. ANDREW BASSANIO’S ACTIONS. HE WAS THE OFFICER THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THAT USE OF FORCE CASE. ONLY ONE OFFICER, A SERGEANT, WAS COMPLETELY EXONERATED. THREE OFFICERS WERE SUSPENDED WITHOUT PAY FOR 24 HOURS. NOW, THE POLICE CHIEF AT THAT TIME WAS BETTY HOLLAND. SHE RESIGNED IN OCTOBER BEFORE THE INVESTIGATION CONCLUDED. BASEGGIO WAS ARRESTED BACK IN AUGUST AND DEPUTY CHIEF CAMILLE ELIJAH WAS ALSO RESIGNED BACK IN OCTOBER. THE THE ONE THING THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. JUST TOTALLY DESPISE IS, IS WHEN OTHER OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, TARNISH HIS BADGE, DO SOMETHING CONTRARY TO OUR CORE VALUES, DO SOMETHING CONTRARY TO INTEGRITY, DO SOMETHING CONTRARY TO THIS HONORABLE AND NOBLE PROFESSION. SO IT WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING. NOW, CHIEF BROADWAY SAYS THAT THIS HAS CREATED MANY CHANGES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND HOW COMPLAINTS ARE BEING HANDLED, BOTH FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS INSIDE, INTERNALLY. HE SAYS EVERYTHING WILL GO UP THE CHAIN OF COMMAND ALL THE WAY UP TO HIS DEPUTY ASSISTANT AND THEN ON HIS DESK. HE ALSO SAYS THAT HE IS CONSULTING WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE, INCLUDING A RANGE OF OTHER THINGS THAT THEY ARE DOING TO TRY AND TURN THINGS AROUND WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE MORE ON THIS LIVE AT FIVE AND 6 P.M., SO STAY WITH WESH TWO NEWS, BOTH ON AIR AND ONLINE@WESH.COM COV
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      Updated: 5:37 PM EDT Jun 18, 2025
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      Several Kissimmee PD employees terminated, suspended after misconduct investigation
      WESH logo
      Updated: 5:37 PM EDT Jun 18, 2025
      Editorial Standards
      The Kissimmee Police Department on Wednesday presented findings of a 300-page independent investigation by the Orange County Sheriff's Office into possible misconduct in 2023. Kissimmee PD said the investigation followed concerns the State Attorney's Office raised in October 2024 regarding the conduct and/or truthfulness of several sworn officers."Since receiving the findings on May 27, 2025, the department conducted a thorough review of the report to ensure disciplinary decisions were fair, deliberate, and aligned with established policies and the law," the department said in a news release. "The officers involved have been formally notified of intended disciplinary actions." Chief Charles Broadway called it a turning point and said he was there to "own the facts" to make sure similar incidents never happen again. Ultimately, two people from the department resigned before the investigation, two people were terminated before the investigation, three people were terminated after the investigation and two people were demoted after the investigation. Three more were suspended after the investigation and one was exonerated, Broadway said. Broadway said it was not a department-wide cover-up. State Attorney's Office concernsThe concerns came in the wake of a grand jury indictment involving Officer Andrew Baseggio's use of force,. He was accused of kneeing Sean Kastner in the face and shocking him with a Taser several times in April 2023. Baseggio was formally charged with felony battery, two counts of tampering with a witness, official misconduct, solicitation for perjury and misdemeanor battery. He eventually pleaded guilty. Then-Chief Betty Holland resigned shortly after. The indictment claims other responding officers laughed about the incident involving Baseggio and were aware the use of force that night was excessive and still did nothing.Then-State Attorney Andrew Bain said the culture of non-reporting within the department extended to Baseggio's punishment – he was given one unpaid day off.Eleven Kissimmee officers were called into question by the grand jury.The city said personnel changes took place immediately: Chief Betty Holland and Deputy Chief Camille Alicea have resigned from their positions.Det. Jonathan Fernandez and Officer Milagros Sanchez have been placed on administrative leave.Cpl. Justin Lunsford has been transferred out of the Professional Standards Section. 300-page investigation >> See the full investigation below"Today marks a turning point not just because we're here providing you with the findings of the internal investigation with the Orange County Sheriff's Office, but beacuse I am standing here to own the facts," Broadway said during Wednesday's news conference. Broadway said the four officers were terminated for issues of "truthfulness and compromising a criminal case." The two officers demoted included a sergeant, and three officers were suspended for 24 hours without pay."That type of behavior that we observed on the body cam is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The second thing I want to be clear about, is that this was not a department-wide cover-up," Broadway said. The 13 employees in the report: Chief Betty Holland – Resigned - compromising criminal casesDeputy Chief Camille Alicea – Resigned – performanceOfficer Andrew Baseggio – Arrested/Resigned Officer Darrius Benjamin – Terminated for false reports and recordsOfficer Jonathan Fernandez – Terminated for compromising criminal cases and truthfulnessOfficer Milagros Sanchez – Terminated for compromising criminal cases, standards of conduct, and truthfulness Officer Michael Strickland – Terminated for standards of conductSargeant Raquel Fernandez – ExoneratedSergeant Andrew Holmberg – suspended without Pay for 24 hours for performanceLieutenant Omar Berrio – Suspended for 24 hours without pay for performanceCorporal Ta Keya Close – Suspended for 24 hours without pay for performance Sergeant Moises Diaz – Demotion for standards of conductCorporal Justin Lunsford – Demotion for compromising criminal cases

      The Kissimmee Police Department on Wednesday presented findings of a 300-page independent investigation by the Orange County Sheriff's Office into possible misconduct in 2023.

      Kissimmee PD said the investigation followed concerns the State Attorney's Office raised in October 2024 regarding the conduct and/or truthfulness of several sworn officers.

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      "Since receiving the findings on May 27, 2025, the department conducted a thorough review of the report to ensure disciplinary decisions were fair, deliberate, and aligned with established policies and the law," the department said in a news release. "The officers involved have been formally notified of intended disciplinary actions."

      Chief Charles Broadway called it a turning point and said he was there to "own the facts" to make sure similar incidents never happen again.

      Ultimately, two people from the department resigned before the investigation, two people were terminated before the investigation, three people were terminated after the investigation and two people were demoted after the investigation. Three more were suspended after the investigation and one was exonerated, Broadway said.

      Broadway said it was not a department-wide cover-up.

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          State Attorney's Office concerns

          The concerns came in the wake of a grand jury indictment involving Officer Andrew Baseggio's use of force,. He was accused of kneeing Sean Kastner in the face and shocking him with a Taser several times in April 2023.

          Baseggio was formally charged with felony battery, two counts of tampering with a witness, official misconduct, solicitation for perjury and misdemeanor battery. He eventually pleaded guilty.

          Then-Chief Betty Holland resigned shortly after.

          The indictment claims other responding officers laughed about the incident involving Baseggio and were aware the use of force that night was excessive and still did nothing.

          Then-State Attorney Andrew Bain said the culture of non-reporting within the department extended to Baseggio's punishment – he was given one unpaid day off.

          Eleven Kissimmee officers were called into question by the grand jury.

          The city said personnel changes took place immediately:

          • Chief Betty Holland and Deputy Chief Camille Alicea have resigned from their positions.
          • Det. Jonathan Fernandez and Officer Milagros Sanchez have been placed on administrative leave.
          • Cpl. Justin Lunsford has been transferred out of the Professional Standards Section.

          300-page investigation

          >> See the full investigation below

          "Today marks a turning point not just because we're here providing you with the findings of the internal investigation with the Orange County Sheriff's Office, but beacuse I am standing here to own the facts," Broadway said during Wednesday's news conference.

          Broadway said the four officers were terminated for issues of "truthfulness and compromising a criminal case."

          The two officers demoted included a sergeant, and three officers were suspended for 24 hours without pay.

          "That type of behavior that we observed on the body cam is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The second thing I want to be clear about, is that this was not a department-wide cover-up," Broadway said.

          The 13 employees in the report:

          • Chief Betty Holland – Resigned - compromising criminal cases
          • Deputy Chief Camille Alicea – Resigned – performance
          • Officer Andrew Baseggio – Arrested/Resigned
          • Officer Darrius Benjamin – Terminated for false reports and records
          • Officer Jonathan Fernandez – Terminated for compromising criminal cases and truthfulness
          • Officer Milagros Sanchez – Terminated for compromising criminal cases, standards of conduct, and truthfulness
          • Officer Michael Strickland – Terminated for standards of conduct
          • Sargeant Raquel Fernandez – Exonerated
          • Sergeant Andrew Holmberg – suspended without Pay for 24 hours for performance
          • Lieutenant Omar Berrio – Suspended for 24 hours without pay for performance
          • Corporal Ta Keya Close – Suspended for 24 hours without pay for performance
          • Sergeant Moises Diaz – Demotion for standards of conduct
          • Corporal Justin Lunsford – Demotion for compromising criminal cases