Ouellette Resigns
By BILL RETTEW JR.
Staff Writer
Lake Wales Police Officer Sean Ouellette called it quits. The former city Officer of the Year started Oct. 16, 2006 and later resigned in March of 2009. Six months later he was back at the police department.Chief Herb Gillis said Tuesday that Ouelette’s contribution solving burglaries, especially widespread copper thefts, helped lead to his being awarded more than four dozen commendations in his personnel file.
The Officer of the Year commendation reads that Ouellette has a “strong work ethic, professionalism, great attitude and is someone who continuously strives to be the best.”
“Officer Ouellette’s resignation is in no way connected to any allegation of misconduct,” wrote Gillis in an email. “Sean resigned for personal reasons to pursue other interests.
“His separation was not a result of corrective or disciplinary action.”
Gillis also said, Tuesday, that drug dealers disliked the officer who was a member of the successful crime task force and he would consider rehiring Ouellette for a third stint on the force if the opportunity presented itself.
“The ones in Lake Wales intent on trafficking drugs were not very fond of him,” said Gillis.
The former professional baseball player was involved in the summer of 2009 incident at C Street which polarized the community, following a traffic stop where accusations swirled of excess use of police force. The accusations were later investigated and said to have been untrue.
