FDLE report reveals third KKK member in Fruitland Park Police Department

Deputy chief resigns, officer fired, former secretary admits enrollment in organization

FRUITLAND PARK, Fla. – A report which investigated whether two Fruitland Park police officers were involved with the Ku Klux Klan shows a third police worker was also linked to the organization.

[READ: Report linking officers to KKK released]

Deputy Chief David Borst and Officer George Hunnewell were both named as members of the KKK by informants to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Borst resigned over the claims last Thursday and Hunnewell was fired Friday.

Hunnewell's wife, Ann, worked as a Police Department secretary and she admitted to Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigators she and her husband joined the KKK.

She told the FDLE they wanted to infiltrate the klan as part of a department investigation under then-Police Chief Mark Isom.

Hunnewell told investigators she and her husband never paid dues and didn't believe in the klan's philosophy.

Her involvement was reported by the wife of another former Fruitland Park police officer James Elkin, who resigned in 2010 after he was also linked to the klan.

According to the report, Pamela Ellingsworth "reported that George Hunnewell was a sworn member of the KKK."

"Ellingsworth reported that (Deputy Chief David) Borst and others in the FPPD have knowledge of the Hunnewells' membership in the KKK, but did nothing to address the issue," the report stated.

One man who was arrested two weeks ago by Hunnewell wants the Office of the State Attorney to review his case. The man, who is black, said he was pulled over driving 37 mph in a 25 mph zone.

"(Hunnewell) jumped in the middle of my car as I was going and almost pulled out his gun, and said, 'I could have shot you if you would have hit me with your car,'" the man said.

Hunnewell eventually arrested the man for marijuana possession and driving with a suspended license, but the man argues he wouldn't have been pulled over if he wasn't black.

The State Attorney is now reviewing hundreds of cases handled by Borst and Hunnewell. Workers are looking for any signs of racially motivated charges.

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About the Author

Erik Sandoval joined the News 6 team as a reporter in May 2013 and became an Investigator in 2020. During his time at News 6, Erik has covered several major stories, including the 2016 Presidential campaign. He was also one of the first reporters live on the air at the Pulse Nightclub shooting.