The Florida Department of Corrections has dismissed a number of employees under its new discipline policy.
Among them is Officer Houston Biddle, of the Okaloosa Correctional Institution, who was dismissed for a DUI arrest.
Last week, the DOC announced a zero-tolerance policy for employee misconduct and DOC Secretary Mike Crews sent a memo to all employees explaining it.
Crews is personally visiting Florida's 49 Department of Corrections institutions to emphasize this new policy's seriousness and to deliver his expectations for transparency, accountability and professionalism.
"Our staff should be held to the highest standards, and the zero-tolerance policy that we have put in place ensures that anyone who fails to do the right thing will no longer work for this agency," Crews said. "We value our culture of professionalism and integrity, and we will not let the bad actions of a few undermine and tarnish the reputations of all the hard working men and women in our Department.
"Enforcement of our new discipline policy is a critical step in ensuring that happens.”
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa officer fired under new zero-tolerance policy