OAKLAND, Fla. — 9 Investigates has learned a Mount Dora Police Lieutenant was allowed to resign after the Police Chief signed off on an investigation that determined he was stealing time, and he’s now working and was recently promoted at nearby Oakland Police Department in West Orange County.
Channel 9 Anchor Daralene Jones has been digging into this story and tracking down the chiefs of both agencies to find out how it happened. Hours after she went straight to the Oakland Police Chief for answers, Barry Strykowski was suspended and is now under investigation to determine if he was untruthful during the hiring process.
Barry Strykowski was hired in Oakland, just two days after, city records show the Mount Dora Chief agreed to a deal, allowing him to quietly resign from Mount Dora with no discipline on his record.
Strykowski, is hard to miss, recently promoted to sergeant with Oakland PD, he towers over most people.
The Mount Dora Police Chief says he used his department-issued car to steal time from taxpayers, claiming to be on duty as an officer or extra duty details.
Records we reviewed at police headquarters show it went on for at least five months between October of 2023 and March of 2024, allowing him to be compensated for two different commitments simultaneously, according to internal affairs investigators.
Jones asked Chief Mike Gibson why he wasn’t fired. “Well, the Mount Dora Police Department has a process called DRP, dispute resolution process,” Chief Gibson told Jones. It’s a practice in Mount Dora policy, he says, allowing the agency to negotiate discipline and - or an exit strategy.
In this case the separation agreement we obtained shows the city paid Strykowski a total of more about $12,418 in accrued vacation time and sick leave, and allowed him to walk away with no discipline on his record, despite a 22-page investigation that determined he had in fact misrepresented his time and attendance.
A GPS log 9-Investigates also reviewed shows his patrol car at Disney, Saint Cloud, and as far away as Daytona Beach Shores and Jacksonville on more than one occasion, believed to be visiting a woman, all while his time sheet. It’s a violation of department policy to travel that far outside of the agency’s jurisdiction for personal reasons.
Jones questioned why the amount Dora Chief didn’t refer the case to FDLE or the State Attorney for review of whether a crime occurred. “Well, police officers use discretion every day, right, we use discretion everyday. In this case, you’re correct; it could fall under the statute as a crime, or it does fall under the statute as a crime, but we’re the victim, so we’re allowed to say, okay, we’ll forgo that. At the end of the day, the Chief of Police, me, I’m responsible for the decisions that are made, and I have to take a lot things into consideration. I have considered the benefit to the city, the citizens here, Chief Gibson stated.
We went to Oakland to find out what the Chief there knew, and when. Chief Darran Esan wouldn’t speak with us on camera, but told Jones behind closed doors he just didn’t know about it at the time and provided an emailed statement about 5 hours after she left stating:
On today’s date, the Oakland Police Department received information which alleged the application for employment received from Barry Strykowski excluded information which may have disqualified him from being hired by the department. Barry Strykowski was previously employed by the Mount Dora Police Department up to his swearing-in at Oakland. Barry Strykowski was immediately suspended pending an internal investigation into the validity of the allegations. The active internal investigation makes further comments improper until the final disposition is determined.
And he showed us this FDLE profile sheet, which we already had obtained from FDLE and the state’s record show Strykowski voluntarily separated from Mount Dora - under circumstances not involving misconduct.
When we followed up with additional questions about the Mount Dora investigation, Chief Esan replied, in part, “They sent back a link to his personnel file which was in excess of 900 pages. The 22 page investigation is not found in that file.”
Strykowski was required to relinquish his vehicle and other equipment pending the outcome of the investigation.
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