CCPD detective resigns
A long-tenured Cape Coral police detective has resigned after officials say the department discovered he did not disclose he was under investigation for an alleged sexual battery when he applied for his job with the city.
Kordelle McKissack, resigned from the Cape Coral Police Department Wednesday, according to a prepared statement released by the CCPD.
“Information came to light during a court proceeding yesterday and was provided to the Cape Coral Police Department that McKissack allegedly lied during the employment process with the department 13 years ago,” the release states. “McKissack denied being under investigation on an official form during his application for employment with the Cape Coral Police Department. Information revealed in court yesterday showed that he was under investigation for an allegation of sexual battery at the time of his application with the Cape Coral Police Department in 2003.”
After receiving the information on Tuesday, interim Police Chief Dave Newlan ordered an administrative investigation.
“When we received the information yesterday, I immediately directed the Professional Standards Bureau to open an Internal Affairs investigation into this matter,” Newlan said in the statement. “I was informed today that Detective McKissack opted to resign from the department. In spite of this turn of events, the investigation will go forward to completion and the results will be forwarded to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJSTC).”
The commission is the body that certifies police officers in the state.
“Moral character violations, such as lying or perjury, can be grounds for de-certification,” officials said.
“We go to great lengths to vet potential police officers,” Newlan said. “Each applicant must complete pre-employment testing, go through a panel interview, satisfactorily complete a background check, and are subjected to a polygraph, drug screen, and psychological evaluation. Fewer than 10% of applicants make it through. In this case, the allegation of sexual battery was not disclosed by either Detective McKissack or his former employer.
“The Internal Affairs investigation will show what occurred definitively,” officials added.
Background investigators with the CCPD conduct “extensive employment and reference checks on sworn and civilian employees as well as volunteers. This process can take several months to complete, especially if candidates or their references are out of the area.”
“The Cape Coral Police Department was never provided with derogatory information pertaining to Kordelle McKissack, by his former employer, the Spring Hill Police Department in Spring Hill, Tennessee,” Newlan said.
A former police chief, “provided a very positive letter of recommendation” on McKissack’s behalf, Newlan said, adding “If the facts of the Internal Affairs investigation support what was alleged to have been happening at the time, this was patently deceptive….”
McKissack had been on administrative leave since March 7, pending the completion of a separate Internal Affairs investigation pertaining to allegations of untruthfulness as the affiant in a search warrant in a criminal investigation.
“This investigation is still pending and will be completed and forwarded to FDLE and the CJSTC as well,” officials said.
“We hold ourselves to the highest standards of professional conduct here at the Cape Coral Police Department. We will continue to do everything necessary to maintain the public trust we have worked so hard to earn,” Newlan said.
McKissack could not be reached for comment late Wednesday.
Source: Cape Coral Police Department