The Ocala Police Department strives to make our community one of the safest places in Florida to live, work, and play. Every member of the agency is dedicated to this mission, which is accomplished by effectively responding to crime, addressing our community’s safety concerns, and by maintaining an effective presence throughout the City of Ocala. The Ocala Police Department is an exceptional law enforcement agency with over three hundred employees who are dedicated to selfless service and who hold an immense commitment to their community. As your new Police Chief, it is an honor to represent these fine men and women who give so much for so little.
As most people know, 2020 proved to be a challenging and tumultuous time for law enforcement. While trying to deal with a deadly pandemic, police around the country were also faced with protests, violence, and general anti-police sentiment which seemingly swept across the nation. We, however, are lucky enough to serve a great community, one that supports their law enforcement officers while still demanding the highest level of professionalism and ethical standards.
We’ve worked very hard to develop and foster relationships within our community to ensure citizens can express their concerns in a constructive manner, which is free from violence and disorder. We believe effective policing can only be accomplished through a partnership between the police and the community and we are always looking for ways in which to expand that partnership in hopes of accomplishing our overall mission. My commitment to our community is that the Ocala Police Department will continue to build on community relationships, further our education, treat each person with respect, be accountable and understand the role of empathy in performing our jobs to serve and protect.
As we move further into 2021, my hopes are that the country can somehow heal itself, that people can come together in a functional way to solve problems, and that we can focus more on how we are all alike than on how we are different. With that said, we as citizens should all strive to learn more about local government and our law enforcement agencies. Getting involved in a citizen’s police academy, taking a tour of the department, participating in a ride-along, or just following us on social media are all ways in which you can get involved and learn more about the challenging and ever-changing world of law enforcement. I also encourage folks to take an opportunity to meet our officers and staff. You’ll find that they are eager to listen to your concerns and issues and I’m sure you’ll agree that they are exceptional individuals who stand ready to serve.
