ABOVE: Deputy Shannon Bennett of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. (Photo from Broward Sheriff’s Twitter)
A South Florida police chief has been placed on administrative leave after claiming that the death of a deputy from COVID-19 occurred because he was gay.
Davie Police Chief Dale Engle was placed on paid leave after a complaint was filed from the Florida State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council Committee stating Engle yelled at several officers because they expressed concern about the coronavirus after Broward Sheriff’s Office Deputy Shannon Bennett died April 3 from COVID-19. The complaint states that Engle told officers Bennett died from COVID-19 because of his “homosexual lifestyle.”
“[Engle] was placed on administrative leave pending further review of allegations brought by the Fraternal Order of Police,” reads a statement from Davie administrator Richard J. Lemack posted to Twitter April 11. “The allegations will be investigated in accordance with the town’s Equal Employment Opportunity compliance policy by outside counsel. The town will have no further comment until the investigation is complete to protect the integrity of all involved.”
The complaint letter states that Engle “allegedly yelled about a ‘backstory’ which proclaimed that Deputy Bennett contracted and died from the virus because he was a ‘homosexual who attended homosexual [sexual] events.’”
The letter goes on to say “His rant continued for some time, with the presumable desired effect of intimidating the members and discouraging any other department employees from complaining or expressing concerns in the future.”
Bennett, who was a 12-year veteran of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, tested positive for COVID-19 in March. He had contracted the virus while “in the line of duty,” stated Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony in a news conference. Bennett was 39.
Bennett proposed to his partner Jonathan Frey last December at Disney World and the two had planned to marry at the end of this year. Frey called Bennett his “soulmate” in an interview with Local 10 News in South Florida April 6.
“This is not the end of who he is,” Frey told Local 10. “He was the love of my life, and I know his legacy is going to live on, one way or another.”
The Broward Sheriff’s Office honored Bennett on its Twitter account April 5, writing “Deputy Shannon Bennett was a 12 year veteran of the Broward Sheriff’s Office; an out and proud gay law enforcement deputy; a school resource officer who protected and mentored the young students at Deerfield Beach Elementary; a man in love to be wedded later this year. We love and will miss you, Deputy Bennett. Thank you for your bravery, your kind heart, and your service. Rest In Peace. #wewillneverforget #TeamBSO.”
Deputy Shannon Bennett was a 12 year veteran of the Broward Sheriff’s Office; an out and proud gay law enforcement deputy; a school resource officer who protected and mentored the young students at Deerfield Beach Elementary; a man in love to be wedded later this year. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/QcqMc31gCd
— Broward Sheriff (@browardsheriff) April 5, 2020
