Did Palm Bay Hire an Outside Law Firm to Investigate Its Police Chief—Then Shut It Down?

Editor’s Note (03/04/2025): Palm Bay Live has received new information related to this story. For additional context, including email correspondence between Fisher and city officials, please see the addendum at the bottom of this article.

PALM BAY, Fla. — A public records request by Palm Bay Live has revealed that the city retained RumbergerKirk, a well-known law firm, to investigate allegations of police misconduct, abuse of power, and a toxic work culture within the Palm Bay Police Department (PBPD). These allegations, brought forth by former Deputy Chief Lance Fisher, included claims against Chief Mariano Augello regarding the misuse of police resources and a culture of favoritism and retaliation within the department.

However, before the investigation could be completed, Palm Bay’s interim city manager abruptly ordered it to be shut down.

A February 20, 2025, document obtained through public records confirms that Palm Bay’s City Attorney Patricia Smith received a report from RumbergerKirk, detailing their review of allegations brought forward by former Deputy Chief Lance Fisher.

The firm was assigned to evaluate claims that Chief Augello misused police resources to target an Oxford House sober living facility near his home, directed officers to harass residents of the facility to push them out, and fostered a culture of favoritism and retaliation within the department.

RumbergerKirk requested interviews with both Fisher and Augello. Fisher’s attorney, Sawyer Frescoln, declined the request on Fisher’s behalf, citing ongoing litigation. Augello agreed to be interviewed, but the investigation was terminated before his interview took place.

Palm Bay’s Interim City Manager Scott Morgan ordered that the inquiry be terminated on February 6, 2025.

In a written statement included in the firm’s report, RumbergerKirk confirmed:

“On February 6, 2025, we were informed by Ms. Patricia Smith that Interim City Manager, Scott Morgan, directed her to end the investigation.”

“Due to the complaining witness’ unwillingness to provide a statement and the decision to terminate this investigation, no findings have been made. RumbergerKirk has ended its investigation and is providing this report to Ms. Patricia Smith.”

While there is no current investigation, public records show that an external inquiry was authorized, initiated, and then shut down before reaching any conclusions.

At a recent Palm Bay City Council meeting, Mayor Rob Medina asked Interim City Manager Scott Morgan whether there had been any investigative action related to allegations against the police chief.

“Are you able to clarify the investigative portion of that?” Medina asked.

“To my knowledge, there is no active investigation,” Morgan responded.

City Attorney Patricia Smith also reinforced this stance, stating:
“There is no active investigation.”

While these statements are accurate, they do not acknowledge that an investigation was in fact initiated—only to be discontinued.

Fisher, who has been speaking out for nearly a year, has repeatedly claimed that Palm Bay’s police leadership prioritizes loyalty over accountability. He has alleged that PBPD leadership filed false police reports, misled the media, promoted officers based on favoritism rather than merit, and failed to address excessive use-of-force incidents.

At the latest City Council meeting, Fisher reiterated his concerns. He has referenced multiple cases where officers involved in violent arrests—some resulting in serious injuries or paralysis—were not held accountable.

While city officials deny any active investigation, PBPD has also responded to allegations of misconduct.

In a prior statement, the department said:

“The Palm Bay Police Department remains committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and accountability in serving our community. Recent allegations made by a disgruntled former employee regarding our department’s use-of-force policies and promotional practices are entirely false and without merit.”

“The Palm Bay Police Department has been a fully accredited agency for the past 15 years, most recently achieving Excelsior Status through the Florida Commission for Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA), a distinction that represents the highest level of excellence in law enforcement accreditation. Our most recent accreditation review found no violations of policies or procedures, reaffirming our firm commitment to transparency, ethical policing, and best practices.”

With the investigation shut down before any determinations were made, the question remains—why did Palm Bay authorize an external review, only to cancel it before reaching any conclusions?

For now, Palm Bay Live will continue following this story and providing updates.

For transparency, Palm Bay Live is making the full RumbergerKirk investigative report available to the public. Below is the official document sent to the City of Palm Bay regarding the now-terminated investigation: 

Police Department Investigation

Addendum: Email Correspondence Between Fisher and City Officials

Since the publication of this article, Palm Bay Live has obtained email correspondence related to Fisher’s claim that he attempted to raise concerns with city officials.

On September 6, 2024, Fisher requested a meeting with city officials, including Mayor Rob Medina, to discuss his concerns about the Palm Bay Police Department’s leadership and culture. In response, Medina advised Fisher to continue discussions with his attorney and city staff.

Separately, on September 10, 2024, City Attorney Patricia Smith sent an email stating that the city had not taken retaliatory action against Fisher and that whistleblower complaints must be submitted in writing to be considered under city policy.

Palm Bay Live will continue following this story and provide updates as more information becomes available.