Sanford Picks New Police Chief
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
By: Matthew Peddie

January 29, 2013 | WMFE- Sanford officials announced their pick for who they want to lead the city's police department Tuesday. Cecil E. Smith, the deputy chief of the Elgin, Illinois police, has been offered the job for a salary of $110,446.

Two weeks ago Smith joined a panel discussion with four other finalists for the top job.

He outlined the challenge of rebuilding trust in the Sanford police department.

"It’s not just a police issue, it is a community issue," said Smith. 

"The entire city has to work together regardless of what portion of the city that you work in, it’s important that we all work together to resolve the community issues and the concerns that are there, it creates trust and builds unity and we can move forward at that point.”

City manager Norton Bonaparte says Smith has a week to decide whether to accept the job offer.

Sanford’s former police chief Bill Lee was fired last year following criticism of his department’s handling of the investigation into the shooting death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin.