Chief Daniels misses fallen officer's funeral

Fort Myers - Hundreds of police officers from across the state were at Officer Widman's funeral Wednesday, but one officer was noticeably absence: Fort Myers Police Chief Hilton Daniels.

WINK News spoke to Mayor Jim Humphrey Wednesday and found out Chief Daniels was on a family vacation, but he ran into a number of problems and there was no way he could get back in time for the funeral.

At the funeral, 200 Fort Myers Police Officers stood shoulder to shoulder to say goodbye to their comrade Officer Andrew Widman.

But one person not there was their leader, Police Chief Hilton Daniels.

Viewers also noticed Chief Daniels was missing.

One email we got wanted to know, why Chief Daniels failed to attend the funeral?

Other viewers wondered is he okay?

We asked several people at the funeral, no one seemed to know.

So we asked Fort Myers Major Jim Humphrey.

He told WINK News Chief Daniels was on a family vacation in Montana.

The Chief drove out there in an R-V.

When he learned of Officer Widman's death, Humphrey said the Chief was making arrangements to come back to Fort Myers.

However he didn't want to leave his family, which includes his 87 year old mother-in-law, alone to drive back in the R-V.

So instead of flying out of Montana, Chief Daniels decided to drive back.

Mayor Humphrey says the RV broke down several times, which prevented the Chief from making it to the funeral.

Officers we talked to knew their had to be a reasonable explanation.

"I trust my Chief. I know if he had been able, he would have been there with us," said an officer.

Mayor Humphrey stresses Chief Daniels, who retires next week, regrets missing the funeral.

He says, bottom line: unforeseen circumstances are the culprit, preventing Chief Daniels from physically being at the funeral.


http://www.winknews.com/news/local/25836734.html

Bullcrap!!!!!!!!!!!!! put your family in a motel and hop a quick flight to the funeral- PLAIN AND SIMPLE!
Does anyone believe he was broke down for 5 days?! The Rv company would have come and gotten the vehicle in 1 day -let alone 5!!!
Tell your story walking you disgraceful redneck, tacky GOB, vindictive , incompetent fool. You Bubba -can go to hell!!!

His excuse is the funniest post yet, a real good fable :lol: one could walk here in 5 days!

His excuse is the funniest post yet, a real good fable :lol: one could walk here in 5 days!

This is just another example of Adolf Hilton's leadership. It brings me great joy to know that this goober will not be at the helm anymore. Doug, you did an outstanding job. We will rally around you while you serve as Interim Chief. You showed great leadership, compassion, and class during this troubling time. I, along with many others, hope you are selected as our new Chief. You earned your stripes this week and I commend you for a job well done.

Adolf, you, once again, let us down. You're the kinda chief that reminds me of a kid I used to play football with in High School. His father always promised him that he would be at his football game on Friday night, but never showed up because he had to work late, or got stuck in traffic. Week after week, let down after let down. Thank God that kid grew up and became a successful millionaire. The analogy: We will be fine without you bro, I promise. You can crap on us all you want, but the fine men and women of the FMPD will prevail.

P.S. Please get your nasty a$$ Hells Angels jacket off the second floor and hang that garbage in your RV with the rest of your Suncoast paraphernalia. Gone and well forgotten!!!

Hilton lied about this incident like he lied about the department paying for his son's academy tuition. How the heck could this guy have become chief in the first place? Greg Horn would have been a better chief. How can he have the audacity to miss a funeral for a slain officer under his watch? He had plenty of time to arrange travel arrangements, and everyone made sacrifices this week. It is unfortunate that the so called leader of the agency decided it was more important to enjoy his vacation instead of returning home to be with his officers. Major Baker did an outstanding job organizing the services and you can tell that he was truly emotionally attached to this situation. I give him all the credit in the world for doing what the ignorant chief should have, and from here on out Major Baker will be my chief. As for Hilton, I hope that I never have to see his face again. I hope that the city manager, city council, and general public realize that he made a bold faced lie for not coming home for the funeral. Unless he was waiting for a stork to pick him up and fly him down here, he could have come by plane, train, or automobile. God bless Andrew Widman and his family.

Tips for the Chief in emergency across country travel:

1. Obtain a commmerical flight
2. Rent a car
3. Charter an aircraft
4. Ask the military for assistance
5. Hitchhike
6. Aquire the assistance from every law enforcement agency from here to Montana, I know they would have helped transport your lazy $#@.
6. Walk

You have dishonored the Office of Chief, The Department, The Badge and most of all OUR FALLEN HERO!!!!

It is truely amazing how OFFICERS returned from all around the WORLD, but you could not. They returned to honor and pay respect to thier brother, but you made excuses. The only excuse that would have been good enough is that you died trying to get back here!!!

You should just stay here!! We have moved to the next level, we are a family, a brotherhood with good leaders NOW that care!!!!!

This is so unacceptable. It is very difficult to believe the excuses for not being able to travel back to Fort Myers during this very difficult and sad time for the FMPD family. These actions show disrespect not only to Officer Widman and his family, but also for the entire Fort Myers Police Department! Between the early hours of July 18th and 11:00 a.m. yesterday, July 23rd, there was plenty of time that this man should have been able to make his way back, even if only to attend the funeral! It is not that difficult to travel back within the United States!

His entire department has been mourning this tragic loss while at the same time putting in extra hours to support this family and eachother (without complaint), but our Chief cannot take out a little bit of time from his vacation to support the family and his officers?

In my observation of the events of the past week Major Baker has done and is continuing to do an outstanding job! For him to be able to fill in for our missing Chief and to keep everything so organized speaks volumes of his ability to lead this department, especially at a time when we needed a leader more than ever!

It's too bad this position isn't an elected position. Major Baker already has my vote!

The Chief did take a little time to show his support. Don't forget he did take time out of his busy vacation trip to send a message on condolence from his blackberry. Give im a break.

What fools do you take us for? You had 5 days bubba 5, not 4 ,not 3, if you made ANY effort to be here at least for the funeral ,you would have been here. NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
1-rented RV's have roadside ANd replacement clauses
2-airlines ,all U.S. airlines, have law enforcement provisions,as well as bereavment provisions for ANYONE.
3-a local law enforcement agency would have made arrangments for you and your family to seek a motel and or trip back.
4- 87 year old women that travel to Montana ,usually can travel back as well.
5- stay in montana,kansas or wherever your klan reunion was,you are not welcome here!

He would've been here the next day if it was one of his family members. Bottom line is he didn't want to abandon his precious vacation and come back. No one is buying that ridiculous excuse of the RV story. We want him fired NOW. Like everyone else said, you put your family up in a hotel, you go to the nearest airport or rent a car, WE DON'T BELIEVE YOU, LIAR, other cops cut their vacation short to be here. Former FMPD cops came from out of state. Just think that he'll be a regular citizen in a week...!!!!!!!!!. if he commits a traffic violation in the city, he gets pulled over and ticketed, but I know that he won't step a foot in the city because he's scarred. If he tries to get a job, we'll call his employer and give them the run down on his character and what a horrible leader he was. He's not welcomed in the city ever again. He's a disgrace and an embarrassment to Law Enforcement. Andrew might forgive him but we won't. He's the worst chief anyone could've had. He ruined Baker's chance to become chief and ruined this agency the minute he became chief. Payback is ***** hilton and one day you too will have to face God for all the wrong you've done in your life, just remember, what goes around comes around, your entire staff hates you now more than ever and if anyone says hello to you or tries to be nice to you, just know that they're not being sincere, I sure won't go out of my way to socialize with you, you POS maggot, you make me sick you low life hillbilly, you truly are the worst thing that ever happened to FMPD...Doug you're doing a fantastic job and I'm sure you'll do a 10 times better job in the next few month than hilton ever did in his entire career

I know it's been said, but needs to be said again. Just think of all the people's lives he has ruined. He has ruined good cops careers, or pushed out new cops for dumb reasons. Now these people can not do what they love.

The city should reevaluate every single person who was terminated or forced to resign while he was chief to determine if there was just cause. I mean let's face it, the union is a joke, so I am sure many of these people were not represented properly, or had their due process.

I hope the media is reading this message board(I know they are because it was mentioned in a news segment once). The truth needs to be heard.

I have never - EVER - in my 23 years of Law Enforcement heard of a Chief or Sheriff not attending a murdered officers funeral. The only reason Guiliani didn't get to every cop and firerfighter's funeral after 9/11 was that several funerals took place at the same time in different parts of NY. I still can't believe this is happening. Incredible!

Doug Baker - you can get off line now and stop praising yourself for nothing.

If everyone who has been around for any length of time will recall Chief Hanson and Chief Hart got the same type of treatment on their way out as well. If this had not happened these comments would have been about something else you guys didn't like about Chief Daniels.

A Chief is all great when you want him to approve something or help you up the ladder, but let him be ready to retire and he is the worst man/woman that ever held the position of Chief!

You need to get over yourselves and start worrying about how you as an officer can make things better - Live for the future not the past!

This place is a scene, you have the chief and another supervisor with a less than favorable rep. ,missing a line of duy funeral with 5 days notice. We don't want to know where you were its all rubbish.
Major johnson has the audacity to go on t.v. and try to redirect some donation money to his overpriced piece of granite memorial!!!!! didn't he hustle enough money with his wares? who is watching THAT fund?
The money is for human beings to survive and exist for the coming years, not for a rock!! build a smaller memorial, better yet let roger carve one! let jimmy model for a 5'3" memorial. Do you guy's know ANY boundaries?!!

City officials ,we KNOW yo are reading these threads! We want action taken agaist these quacks!!

It's funny that the small handfull of people who talk bad about the Chief are the one's who have always disliked him for who he is, and because he is a good cop and climbed the ladder before they did. Don't be dissapointed that you are not inteligent enough to make it like he did. And any of you who were in the situation that he was in would have done the same thing. The one's who talk bad about him are disrespecting yourselves and your agency. You are all little cowards who hide behind a screen name and don't have the balls to stand in front of him or any one else who wears a gold badge for that matter and tell them what you really think. Go ahead and stick you tail between your legs and run home to your sick pathetic lives you bunch of cowards.

I do not know if I am more mystified that you called the chief intelligent, or that you say we would have done the same thing by not coming back. 200 of us would have come back, and 1 chief didn't. As far as the intelligence....have you ever seen his press conferences? Ummm....ahhh.....ummm.....ahh....... Fort Myers Resident....why won't you reveal your true identity..... Glen Fox?

Who is Glen Fox?

Well guest, who might you be? A whinning little punk who see's the truth in black and white.

Fort Myers Resident,

First of all ditto to you, why don't you post your name? We don't dislike him because he is a redneck, I have a lot of great friends who likes country music and likes to wear their cowboy boots. We dislike him because he is a genuine a**hole. He enjoys destroying people's career. Maybe a few of the officers would like to climb the ladder to the top, but for most officers they love their jobs and like to work the road and protect individuals like you. As far as looking at the chief in the face.... forget it about it. After the stunt he pulled I might loose my temper and say something that will hurt his feelings. As far as the chief being intelligent, that remark was a riot. You seriously don't know this dumba** do you. I can't stop laughing. He used his intimidation to move up not his brains. He doesn’t have any!!!!!!!!!! Haahahahahahahahahha :lol: :lol: :lol:

Hey F.M resident - stay off this forum ,unless you are a masochist for punishment and abuse.
He and his crew were tyrants,and vengeful incompetents, and he is/was in a leadership role and should have been to AT LEAST the funeral!!!!!!!!!!
Now go back in your doublewide, put your teeth in a jar,open a can of shlitz ,and shut your mouth by filling it with a pulled pork sandwich,as nobody asked for your ridiculous input!!! :x

glen fox is who towed your pickup at your last dui, and hiltons business partner

Hey fort myers resident, please ,please ,please shut up.!! You ignorant little wanker.!
Your post was quite amusing ,as if you knew anything-all his moves were suspect and appointed -NOT EARNED. As for the intelligent part-,hahahahahahahaha, you reek of crossbreeding -if thats your version on intelligent!!! obviously you are too close to the crops when they dust them,-Go back in the trailer moron!!!!!! :wink:

YOU WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED AS A HORRIBLE :twisted: LEADER :!:

I find it utterly disgusting that your Chief could not make it back for a fallen Officer's funeral! I cannot understand how that clown didn't make it back for the funeral when he had 5 days notice! His reasons for not attending are not believable nor are they acceptable! If that clown was my Chief, he would be taken out back and beaten when he returns from his precious vacation to redneckville! I find it equally disturbing that anyone can defend this guy and his actions! I have a sneaking suspicion that the person(s) defending him are the Chief himself or a bootlicker a$$kisser! Good luck to all my fellow brother and sister Officers down in Ft. Myers, Florida.

Yeah, Daniels the clown is what FMPD had to deal with for the past 30 year. :twisted: It is finally over and we are all ready to move forward!!!!! :D