About PSLPD
Established in 1980, the department had a force of nine officers serving a population of 12,000 residents.
Today, it employs 320 sworn officers and 73 civilians, which service a population of over 245,021.
Mission & Value Statements
Mission Statement
Through Courage, Knowledge, and Integrity, the Port St. Lucie Police Department is committed to superior customer service and remains one of America's safest cities.
Value Statements
Value statements serve the purpose of establishing the foundation upon which we provide efficient and effective police service.
Protecting and Preserving Constitutional Rights: The Port St. Lucie Police Department is committed to protecting and preserving the rights of individuals as guaranteed by the Constitution.
- Service to Our Community: The Port St. Lucie Police Department will work together with the community toward the prevention and elimination of conditions that threaten the community's right to be secure.
- Accountability: The Port St. Lucie Police Department will hold all personnel accountable for the detection of problems and the execution of problem-solving strategies in their assigned areas.
- Ethical and Moral Conduct: The Port St. Lucie Police Department will hold all members to the highest standards of moral and ethical conduct, both on-duty and off-duty.
- Respect for People: The Port St. Lucie Police Department believes in treating all people with respect and dignity.
- Empowerment: The Port St. Lucie Police Department believes that it will achieve excellence through the active participation of its employees in the development and implementation of policies, programs and services.
History of PSLPD
The City of Port St. Lucie was incorporated in 1961 by the original developer, General Development Corporation, who was responsible for starting several communities throughout the state. Port St. Lucie is located about 45 miles north of the Palm Beaches along the east coast of Florida in the center of a three-county area known as the Treasure Coast. The name is derived from its history of Spanish treasure ships that sunk along our coast during the early settlement of the New World. Port St. Lucie is part of St. Lucie County with Fort Pierce serving as the county seat.
In 1978, as the city continued to grow, citizens and City Council members began discussions on starting a police department to be attentive to the police service needs and demands of this growing community. In 1979, the City Council decided to start a police department and began the search for a police chief.
History of Chiefs
John Bolduc
August 2012 - April 2023
Brian Reuther
February 2011 - May 2012
Donald Shinnamon
January 2009 - December 2010
John Skinner
October 1996 - August 2008
Charles Reynolds
July 1990 - September 1996
R. Gil Kerlikowske
April 1987 - January 1990
Oliver Schlesselman
March 1982 - August 1986
Edward Werder
March 1980 - November 1981
Milestones
- In September 1991, department personnel moved into a new high-tech, three-story facility. That same month, on-site inspection by representatives from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies resulted in the department receiving its accreditation on November 16, 1991. The Port St. Lucie Police Department became the 193rd law enforcement agency in the nation to be accredited and the first in St. Lucie County.
- In January 1999, the agency’s first STARCOM meeting was held. STARCOM is an acronym for Statistical Tracking, Accountability, and Response through Computer-Oriented Mapping. This program was modeled after NYPD’s CompStat process. STARCOM brings together the issues of crime, disorder, and quality of life concerns and computer mapping of those areas utilizing a Geographic Information System (GIS). Information is provided to commanding officers who utilize it to analyze the data to determine tactics, resource allocations and decisive actions.
- The Port St. Lucie Police Department strongly supports its Community Policing philosophy which was initiated in 1992. Our agency has been very successful in developing proactive responses to problem-solving.
- The agency made structural changes to its organization early in 2004 to serve the city better due to its projected growth. Instead of six supervisors reporting directly to the Chief, the agency was divided into two bureaus, the Neighborhood Policing Bureau and Support Services Bureau, which were headed by the Assistant Chief and Major, respectively. These two bureaus are now under the command of the agency’s two Deputy Chiefs, who report directly to the Assistant Chief. (The Professional Standards Supervisor and Public Information Officer still report directly to the Chief as before.)
- In 2005, the Port St. Lucie Police Department was honored as the recipient of the Webber Seavey Award after being named as a semi-finalist in both 2000 and 2004. The Webber Seavey Award recognizes agencies annually for programs dramatizing the standard of excellence that exemplifies law enforcement's contribution and dedication to the quality of life in local communities.
- The Port St. Lucie Police Department was named in 2006 as a finalist for the Herman Goldstein Award, which recognizes agencies that employ innovative methods to reduce crime and address public safety concerns through Problem-Oriented Policing.
- In 2008, The Port St. Lucie Police Department won the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Excellence in Law Enforcement Research Award.
- The Port St. Lucie Police Department also has the distinction of being recognized as the “Safest City in Florida with a population over 100,000” for ten consecutive years.
Awards & Recognition
The City of Port St. Lucie has continuously been recognized as the “Safest Large City in the State of Florida” by having the lowest crime rate for cities with over 100,000 residents. A modern crime reduction process and strategies were implemented to achieve the department’s mission of providing superior customer service and remaining one of America’s safest cities. Since 2012, the crime rate within the City of Port St. Lucie has been reduced by over 44%. In partnership with FAU, the PSLPD works closely with the creator to share evidence-based strategies focused on problem-solving policing.
The Port St. Lucie Police Department has also been recognized as having the highest standards in the policing profession through the Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) and the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA) for over 25 years. In 2020, the police department was again re-accredited through CALEA for the 8th time, with “Excellence,” making the Port St. Lucie Police Department one of few agencies nationwide and internationally to achieve this status. In 2022, the agency was re-accredited through CFA for the 8th time and awarded our 4th “Excelsior” status, signifying decades of continued dedication and professionalism in policing.
The City of Port St. Lucie has earned the Best Place to Work Award from the St. Lucie County Human Resource Association for 2003-2009 and 2015-2023 for providing a first-class work environment for City employees. The award is given to local employers whose personnel practices are considered the best in the county. Employers are evaluated based on the number of employees, and with more than 1,200 workers, Port St. Lucie is considered a leader in establishing a professional working environment.
- Florida Gang Investigators Association — Gang Unit of the Year Award; and “William Nealy” Gang Prevention Award (2023)
- International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) — Leadership in Volunteer Police Service Programs Award – Comprehensive Police Service Program (2017, 2022)
- Florida Animal Control Association (FACA) — Outstanding Agency of the Year (2021)
- Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CFA) (1997, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2022)
- Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) (1991, 1996, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021)
End of Watch
Officer Steven James Brown
End of Watch: June 12, 2019
Police Officer Steven Brown suffered a fatal heart attack after completing a third day leading the Port St. Lucie Police Athletic League's Police Camp.
He was one of the camp leaders as part of his summertime duties as a School Resource Officer. The camp involved three days of strenuous outdoor activities including an obstacle course at the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum. Officer Brown collapsed after returning home at the end of his shift on June 12, 2019.
Officer Brown had served the Port St. Lucie Police Department for 14 years. He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.
Sergeant Donald R. Mahan
End of Watch: May 13, 1992
Sergeant Donald Mahan was struck and killed by a vehicle at 9 p.m., as he was crossing U.S. Route 1, at Lennar Road, to assist accident victims. He was at an unrelated traffic stop when the crash occurred. The vehicle he had originally stopped fled the scene after Sergeant Mahan was struck.
Sergeant Mahan had served with the Port St. Lucie Police Department for one year. He had a total of 14 years of law enforcement experience and had previously served with the Riviera Beach Police Department and several agencies in Pennsylvania. He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.
Port St. Lucie Police Department Headquarters is named after Sgt. Donald R. Mahan.