Saima Plasencia takes over as Ocoee police chief

There’s a new chief in town, and she’s making history as the first female police chief in the city of Ocoee.

Chief Saima Plasencia was promoted Friday, April 30. She had been the acting chief since the retirement of longtime Ocoee Police Chief Charles Brown in February.  

Plasencia was among three internal candidates interviewed by the Florida Police Chief’s Association, and City Manager Robert Frank said she was the unanimous consensus of the seven-member interview panel.

THROUGH THE RANKS

With a father and stepfather in the military, Plasencia spent much of her childhood traveling. She graduated from Homestead High School in 1981. Additionally, she holds a bachelor’s degree from Lynn University and a master’s degree in leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

Plasencia also spent six years working in retail, climbing through the ranks in that industry. One day, though, Plasencia got the opportunity to be part of a ride-along with a Homestead sergeant — now the department’s chief of police.

“I would love to figure out how that all transpired and how I got to do that ride-along, but the one thing he taught me is that no two days or shifts in law enforcement are ever alike,” she said. “What you get from law enforcement is what you put into law enforcement. If you put your all into it, you’re going to get your all back. Those things have kind of stuck with me over time.”

From there, she was hooked on law enforcement. That launched a 30-year career serving with the Miami-Dade Police Department.

“In that community, I was able to grow in position as far as ranking,” she said. “My last command was as district commander. I had really similar experiences in nature in Miami-Dade, and when I came here originally as a deputy chief, I just felt that my service to the community wasn’t done. I felt I still had a lot to offer to citizens, I had a lot to offer to the community, and I had a lot to offer to our employees.”

Plasencia arrived at the Ocoee Police Department in 2016 as deputy chief and last year was promoted to assistant chief.

To this day — even sitting now at the helm of the police department — she takes advantage of every training opportunity she can. She also advocates for her officers to do the same and to keep learning in an ever-evolving field.

“I’m always working for opportunities to improve how we do our service and engage with the community, and also self improvement so my knowledge is always growing as opposed to remaining stagnant,” she said. “I firmly believe law enforcement has to always be evolving. It’s an opportunity for us to look within. Over my career, I think … it’s been every three to five years that I see something changing, whether it’s a new concept, new software or new policies.”

A NEW ERA

Things have changed in just the four-and-one-half years Plasencia has been with the department. As both a growing city and department, she said, the department is taking steps to prepare itself for the future.

“Since I’ve been here, we’ve been able to add body-worn cameras, and we’ve been able to up our community-engagement game,” she said. “I think pre-COVID, we were at a much higher level than we were when I started. Approachable and responsive are our hallmarks, and we have to be approachable and responsive to the citizens we serve. We only do that by having conversations and by getting to know each other to have opportunities to look at things from different perspectives.”

There have been new programs, too — some of which were Plasencia’s ideas, and others that come from officers and lieutenants. She enjoys being able to facilitate their ideas and support programs brought up through them. 

“I’m humbled by myself as the selection as the chief, but I know I have the skill set, I have the strengths, and I have the leadership to move Ocoee into the next generation of police.” — Ocoee Police Chief Saima Plasencia

One of her newest initiatives is called Chief’s Night Out, during which she and Ocoee officers will go out into the community, chat with citizens and get to know them. They pass out little prizes to the children and safety tips to homeowners and renters. This allows for positive interactions between officers and residents.

As a leader, Plasencia also hopes have three generations of leadership within the department, so there always will be someone stepping up to the next role when it becomes available. It’s why she was interested in the role of chief of police when it became vacant.

“I’ve always wanted that next step,” she said. “I think it’s the pinnacle of a law-enforcement career — particularly when you’ve been in leadership — to want that next position.

“Chief Brown taught me a whole lot during his tenure, and I was able to watch him and see things that impact me positively,” Plasencia said. “It made me really kind of want that next position up to do greater things for the community and employees, as well.”

READY TO LEAD

The interview process was a long and challenging one that allowed each candidate to show his or her strengths, she said. However, it was all worth it. 

Plasencia wrote in her cover letter that the hallmarks of her administration will include community policing, expanding both internal and external technology, developing professional leadership at all levels of the organization, investing in employee development and serving with integrity. Service above self is her motto.

“I am thrilled and humbled,” she said. “It’s such a mixed-emotion kind of thing to have that happen. It’s a great achievement, and I love the fact that I have been promoted to the rank, but at the same time, I know I have great responsibility. I’m humbled by myself as the selection as the chief, but I know I have the skill set, I have the strengths, and I have the leadership to move Ocoee into the next generation of police.”

Moving forward, Plasencia hopes to begin reengaging as a community — something the department has missed in the COVID-19 era. She added that the organization will be increasing employee training, especially in response to some of the issues seen around the nation regarding policy and procedures.

Most of all, though, she is excited to serve the citizens of Ocoee and provide transparent, open, approachable and responsive service.

“It’s our goal to continue to serve our citizens at the same great level that we’ve always provided — to be approachable and be responsive, but to grow our department for the future,” she said. “We serve in a community where we have great support, and we know that support is only earned through us continuing to be engaged with our citizens. I know it’s a privilege to serve as chief, and I will always work to grow their trust and grow their confidence.”