Our History

In 1965, the Palm Beach Gardens City Council enacted by ordinance a law creating the Palm Beach Gardens Police Reserve Force.  In 1966, Herbert A. Pecht was appointed as the first Chief of Police for Palm Beach Gardens with a weekly salary of $130.00.  By the end of 1966, the police department included a full-time dispatch system for police and fire calls.   In 1967, the police department was housed with City Administrative Offices and the Building Inspector in a 2000 square foot complex located at 10128 Meridian Way.  In 1968, three air-conditioned cars patrolled the City’s forty plus miles of streets and roads. The Department was linked to most other South Florida cities via a teletype network system.  Radar was used to facilitate traffic control.  Three sergeants, one detective, nine patrolmen, and four Dispatchers carried out the day-to-day functions of the police department. In 1971, a new 2-story municipal complex was constructed to house the Police Department, City Clerk, City Manager, Building Department, Recreation Department, Public Works, Engineering Department, and the City Council Chambers.  In 1974, six air-conditioned cars patrolled the City, and the Department consisted of 14 patrolmen, three sergeants, three lieutenants, two detectives, one desk sergeant, and nine dispatchers.  


By 1990, the police department consisted of nearly 100 sworn officers and non-sworn support personnel.  Officers responded to calls using a sophisticated 800MHZ radio system.  The department also added a new computer system and an enhanced 911 emergency system.  In March of 2000, the Police Department moved into its present state-of-the-art complex.  In 2011, the newly constructed Northern Municipal Regional Communications Center opened, and today we dispatch police emergency and non-emergency calls for 6 municipalities including Palm Beach Gardens.  In 2016, a police tactical training facility was opened, which contains facilities for driving and use of force simulators, defensive tactics training, and a firearms training range.  

Today, the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department is comprised of 128 sworn officers, 61 non-sworn civilian staff, eight part-time personnel, and a volunteer force of both reserve officers and citizens mobile patrol members. The Palm Beach Gardens Police Department is committed to professional excellence through our core values of Respect, Accountability, and Professionalism.

Palm Beach Gardens Police Department is a dually accredited agency by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) and the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA) meeting a highly regarded and broadly recognized body of law enforcement standards.