Kissimmee’s police chief, Charles Broadway, is set to deliver the keynote address at Valencia College’s School of Public Safety 9/11 remembrance event on September 11. In preparation, Broadway shared memories of his time with the New York Police Department in the immediate aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks.
From New York to Kissimlee: A personal journey
Broadway joined the NYPD in 1996. On the morning of September 11, 2001, he had just finished a shift at 3 a.m. and was asleep when a phone call woke him. “I remember the phone call like it was yesterday,” he said. “The caller said, ‘Chuck, you have to come back to work because a plane just crashed into the World Trade Center.’”
He turned on the television and watched the disaster unfold, then received word that a second plane had struck the towers. After a brief goodbye to his family, he rushed back to New York to help.
Ground Zero: Search, rescue and recovery
Broadway described the chaos that day: “It was just total mayhem—people on the streets just crying and on the sidewalks.” In the days that followed, he and other first responders were assigned to Ground Zero, sifting through debris that resembled a war zone. “We sifted through debris. It looked like a war zone—tons and tons of rubble, smoke emitting from it,” he recalled.
As the operation progressed, the mission shifted from search‑and‑rescue to search‑and‑recovery. “The reality really sunk in at that time that this was no longer a search-and-rescue operation. This was truly a search-and-recovery operation,” he explained.
Enduring impact and a mentor’s legacy
The images of that day, Broadway said, stay with him forever. “It is something that stays with you and lives with you forever. The things that I saw, you just cannot unsee.” He also honored a former NYPD colleague who later died from health effects linked to the attacks, noting that the mentor “inspired me to join this profession 30 years ago.”
Faith, hope and service guide today’s leadership
Broadway hopes the anniversary reminds people not only of the tragedy but also of the unity that followed. “I want them to see the best of America at that time. I want them to see how people rallied around each other and put their differences aside,” he said.
He emphasized that “hope, faith, love and service” helped the nation endure one of its most challenging periods. Those same values continue to shape his approach to leading the Kissimmee Police Department, guiding decisions that protect families and uphold the community’s moral fabric.
Looking ahead
At the Valencia College event, Broadway will discuss his 9/11 service and honor the first responders who answered the call. His message will center on the enduring power of shared faith and common purpose—a reminder that, even in the darkest moments, the nation’s core values can light the way forward.
Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.
