Kissimmee Police Department Deputy Police Chief Betty Holland, who has been with KPD for five years of her three decades in law enforcement, will officially replace Jeff O'Dell as KPD Police Chief Saturday. While her official swearing in will occur at Tuesday's City Commission meeting, her term begins on Saturday.
O'Dell, who had talked about retiring from the role he'd held since 2016 after starting with KPD in January 2013 as Deputy Chief, will continue to work with the city on the transition team and serve as Kissimmee’s new assistant city manager overseeing public safety and security, city officials said.
“I want to thank City of Kissimmee Manager Mike Steigerwald and his staff along with Chief Jeff O’Dell for giving me this opportunity. It is my honor and privilege to be selected as the new Police Chief,” Holland said in the release. “It is my vision to always improve the agency and all of its members by continuing to build an environment that allows everyone to reach their full potential while still obtaining the goals of the city and the Police Department. I am excited to continue the legacy left by Chief O’Dell and I am looking forward to what the future brings to the Kissimmee Police Department, City of Kissimmee and the community.”
The city made the announcement of the Steigerwald's appointment on Friday. In a release, he said he's pleased to welcome Holland as the city's next Chief of Police, "One of the City’s most critical leadership positions."
“Her 35 years of law enforcement experience, including the past five as a key member of Chief O’Dell’s leadership team, have well positioned her to take our police department to the next level," Steigerwald said in the release. "Given the growth of our police force in recent years, I am especially excited about Chief Holland’s ideas for the continued development of our police force. I believe her prior experience leading the Polk County Sheriff’s training academy will be of great benefit in preparing future leaders within our agency.”
Holland has worked at KPD since March 2018 as a Deputy Chief. Prior to that she spent 30 years with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, where she began as a civilian and rose through the ranks. The city said Holland has experience in nearly every major facet of law enforcement — telecommunications, uniform patrol, criminal investigations, strategic investigations, school resource officer, intelligence, special operations, and training.
Holland holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Troy University, a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Professional Leadership from Southeastern University, and is a graduate of both the Southern Police Institute’s Administrative Officers Course from the University of Louisville and the Certified Public Manager Program from Florida State University.
