Meet your new Deputy Chief of Police! Deputy Chief Nicholas Szczepanski was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. He attended the police academy at Florida State College in Jacksonville and began his career with the Palm Bay Police Department in 2009. Deputy Chief Szczepanski has served as a patrol officer, patrol corporal, special operations officer and special investigations agent. In 2019, he was promoted to Sergeant and was assigned to the Special Investigations Unit. In 2022, he was promoted to Lieutenant, where he served as a watch commander on patrol, and later as an Administrative Lieutenant in the Uniform Services Division. In 2024, he was promoted to Commander, where he was assigned to our Community Services Division. He now serves as our Deputy Chief of Police. Deputy Chief Szczepanski has served on the FOP Executive Board as the Officer Representative and was named Officer of the Year in 2014. He is an award recipient of the FBI LEEDA Trilogy Series, and is a graduat...