Fort Myers police detective named finalist for Officer of the Year

FORT MYERS, Fla. —

The Rotary Club of Fort Myers South is hosting this year’s Law and Order Ball to honor law enforcement officers across Lee County, with Fort Myers Police Detective Zach Ross named as one of five finalists for Officer of the Year.

Detective Ross, who has served with the Fort Myers Police Department for nearly 20 years, is recognized for his patience and skill in handling complex investigations.

“Very patient. Yeah. So it may not be immediate right off the bat in the first hour, or some investigations require days, weeks, even months of monitoring and tactically approaching that situation for sure,” Ross said.

Ross has become one of the department’s most valuable officers, going undercover for drug investigations, assisting homicide detectives in identifying and locating violent crime suspects, and helping U.S. Marshals track down wanted fugitives.

“Yes. And these investigations are very fluid. So just when we think we might have enough to put handcuffs on somebody, we do all our checks and balances and make sure we have everything ready to go before we do that final perp walk, as they say,” Ross said.

“All that work has helped lower the crime rate in Lee County and make our community safer. That takes a guy like Detective Ross,” another speaker said.

Ross expressed his gratitude for being named a finalist.

“I love it. I’m honored. I never thought anything would come of this in 20 years on the job, for sure. So I’m very honored to be in this position, for sure,” Ross said.

The Rotary Club of Fort Myers South will announce the 2026 Officer of the Year this Saturday. Leading up to the event, a special fundraiser will be held on Thursday at Millennial Brewing, featuring local celebrity bartenders, including the state attorney, Fort Myers police chief, and a Cape Coral city councilmember.

One dollar from every pint and tips will be donated to the Law and Order Ball.

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.