ORLANDO, Fla. – A new Orlando police chief was named Wednesday as Chief Paul Rooney announced his retirement.
Orlando police Deputy Chief John Mina was appointed by Mayor Buddy Dyer as Rooney's successor. Mina, 45, becomes the 38th Orlando police chief.
During his 23-year tenure with the Orlando Police Department, Mina has worked in a variety of divisions, including the West Patrol Division, the Criminal Investigations Division, the Community Policing Division, the Training Unit and the Drug Enforcement Division.
Mina also served as a member of the SWAT Team for 17 years and was the Team Commander.
Rooney will head up Valencia College security after serving four years as OPD's chief.
"Over the last three years, under Chief Rooney's leadership our City has continued to see reductions in violent crime year after year," said Dyer. "Chief Rooney launched new domestic violence initiatives, enhanced outreach and support to the elderly, initiated a body camera study, placed a new emphasis on officer safety and training and made succession planning a priority."
Last year under Rooney's leadership, there were six officer-involved shootings. That's one thing about the job he's willing to leave behind.
"I won't miss those calls in the middle of the night," said Rooney. "I pray every night for the men and women -- not just Orlando police department, but all officers -- military as well."
Watch Local 6 News and stay with ClickOrlando.com for more on this story.