OPA-LOCKA, Fla. – Former Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel announced his resignation as Opa-locka’s police chief after a little more than a year on the job Friday, saying he wants to spend more time with his family.
Broward County’s, and now Opa-locka’s, former top cop says he’s not retiring and is open to future “opportunities,” however, during a Friday news conference, where he appeared in full uniform alongside city leaders.
“I’m just leaving because my wife and I, we want to spend some time with the kids, we want to travel, we want to experience some different things,” Israel said. “I’ve been in law enforcement about 44 years with four different departments, but I’m not retiring. I’m certainly looking at opportunities that may present themselves.”
The news was first announced Thursday.
Opa-locka hired Israel as its police chief in May of 2022, following a stint with the town of Davie’s police department as a traffic enforcement officer.
Gov. Ron DeSantis removed Israel from office over the Broward Sheriff’s Office response to the Parkland school shooting on Feb. 14, 2018 that left 17 people dead and 17 others injured.
He later tried to win back his old job but lost to DeSantis’ appointee, current Sheriff Gregory Tony.
Israel said Friday he was happy with Opa-locka and was resigning on good terms.
“It was more of an honor than I could have ever anticipated,” Israel said of his time as head of the Opa-locka Police Department.
Israel said Opa-locka is in “good hands” with the department’s new interim chief, Capt. Kenneth Ottley, who joined the department under Israel, following a three-decade tenure with the Miami-Dade Police Department, reaching the rank of lieutenant.