FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - An officer who has served more than two decades for Fort Lauderdale Police is now the department’s new chief, and he outlined the vision he has for the law enforcement agency.
Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Bill Schultz addressed reporters at a news conference held Thursday.
“I am extremely excited and ecstatic to take the leadership role at this point in this agency’s existence,” he said.
However, Schultz is no stranger to the department. He’s a 23-year veteran with FLPD.
“Promoted to sergeant in 2005, when I was also a public information officer, and beyond that, rise through the ranks as a lieutenant, captain, major and now chief of the department,” he said.
There has been a revolving door of FLPD chiefs in the last few years. Schultz said he hopes to end that streak.
“It is my goal to show that that has been fixed, that has been absolutely remedied. I am going to being that stability that we truly needed in this department,” he said.
Number one in his agenda, Schultz said, is to strengthen community relationships and deal with crime.
“I am looking for form a specialized task force to really pinpoint what we can do to further impact gun violence in our community,” he said. “In regards to crime, we also need to have a bit more interaction with the communities to see how they can assist us and really make an impact on the crime that’s occurring in their specific neighborhoods.”
Schultz said he welcomes diversity in the community and in the department.
“We have so much in the near future and beyond, but certainly in the near future to be excited about,” he said, “and there are so many opportunities we have yet to embark on, and I cannot wait to kick off the ground and get going.”
The department is building a new headquarters off of Broward Boulevard. Schultz said construction is expected to be completed in about a year and a half, and it will even have a community center.
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.