INVESTIGATION OF FT. WALTON BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT

An independent investigation into 12 complaints lodged against former Fort Walton Beach Police Chief Ed Ryan and Captain Tracy Hart has turned up no evidence of wrongdoing. The investigation was conducted by attorney Mark Bonfanti, who determined that complaints brought against the two by Officer Don Hall had little to no merit. Hall’s alleged that Ryan and Hart had mishandled arrests, wasted thousands of dollars hiring a testing company to conduct promotion reviews, promoted based on personal friendships and discriminated because of race and gender. Ryan resigned on June 29^th and Hart was placed on administrative leave. Based on the findings of the report the city said that it will reinstate Captain Hart with all rights and benefits and place a memorandum in Ryan’s personnel file making note of the report’s conclusions.