GBPD recieves state award six years straight
STAFF REPORTS Gulf Breeze News news@gulfbreezenews.com

The Gulf Breeze Police Department (GBPD) was selected as the Rocky Pomerance "Excellence in Policing" winner by the Florida Police Chiefs Association for (FPCA) an unprecedented sixth year in a row. To achieve the distinction of being the number one small police agency in the state, GBPD competed against 110 small police agencies across Florida.

The award will be presented to GBPD for their success in developing improved and enhanced strategies to respond to disasters. Over 150 community members convened last year to analyze previous disaster responses and to develop new ways to mitigate the impact of fture events or improve response. The disaster Presponse Taskforce developed 29 strategies to improve disaster response ranging from creating a statewide disaster response team to a hurricane camp for kids. Over half of the recommendations have already been implemented with significant effect and has positioned the city, region and the state for better disaster response in the future.

"We are very proud of this accomplishment and it is a clear demonstration of the hard work and dedication of the members of the Gulf Breeze Police Department and out citizen volunteers," said GBPD Police Chief Peter Paulding.

"Even though we are a small Police angency, we take a back seat to know one whe it comes to delivering quality service to our community. Receiving this recognition fromthe Flordia Police Chiefs Association is a high honor; to receive such recognition six years in a row has not been done before."

The purpose of the award is to provide a mechanism for the FPCA to recognize member agencies for developing and implementing an innovative approach to policing. The award has been named in honor of Rocky Pomerance, who has been recognized as exemplifying the image of an innovatinve and visionary leader who furthered the mission of FPCA and the law enforcement profession within Florida. A practicioner and a visionary, Chief Pomerance was the Chief of Police in Miami Beach from the early 1950's through 1977 and served as the president of the International Association of CHiefs of Police from October, 1973 through October 1974.

For more information visit www.cityofgulfbreeze.com/po lice or www.fpca.com.