Click here for an explanation of the awards and medals.
G. Curt Willocks has been the Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police in Gulfport since January of 1991.
Previously Chief Willocks had served 20 years with the Boca Raton Police Department,
retiring as Deputy Chief of Police.
Chief Willocks holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Florida Atlantic University, is a graduate of the FBI Academy, DEA Academy, Senior Management Institute for Police, Florida Chief Executive Institute and the Secret Service Academy on Dignitary Protection.
Chief Willocks is a past president of the Tampa Bay Area Chief’s of Police Association and currently serves on the Board of Directors. He is a past chairman of the Pinellas County Police Standards Council and past Director with the Florida Police Chief’s Association. Most recently, he has been appointed to serve on the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation.
Lieutenant Howard Coombs is the commander of the Patrol Division, which is comprised of four sergeants and 19 officers.
Starting his service with the Gulfport Police Department in 1998, Lieutenant Coombs has worked as a detective, field training officer, and as a supervisor in the patrol and policy compliance divisions. He is active as an assessor for the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, and he is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
Lieutenant Coombs, a former enlisted serviceman in the United States Navy, has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of Pheonix, and he is a graduate of the Florida Law Enforcement Executive Leadership program.
Lieutenant Robert Vincent began his most recent assignment in November of 2003 as commander of the Investigative Services Division after serving briefly as the Interim Chief of Police. Before that, and since 2001, Lieutenant Vincent was the Patrol Division Commander.
He has held many positions including Patrol Sergeant, School Resource Officer, and Youth Resources Officer since joining the Gulfport Police Department in 1994. He also serves as an adjunct instructor for St. Petersburg College and as an assessor for the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation.
Lieutenant Vincent has a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing from the University of South Florida. He is also a graduate of the 227th Session of the FBI National Academy, where he earned a graduate certificate in Criminal Justice Education from the University of Virginia.
Sergeant Mary Farrand was recently appointed as the supervisor of the policy compliance unit after serving as a patrol sergeant since 2005. Sergeant Farrand has been with the Gulfport Police Department since 2001, having come to us with experience as a dispatcher for the Clearwater Police Department. Among her more notable achievements, Sergeant Farrand received the officer-of-the-year award in 2005.
Sergeant Farrand has an Associate's degree from St. Petersburg College, and she serves as an agency assessor for the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation.
Sergeant Paul Martin is the senior sergeant in the Gulfport Police Department, having been promoted in 1994 after serving as a patrol officer since 1988. He is the supervisor of the Alpha Squad. Before coming to Gulfport, Sergeant Martin worked for the Cicero, Illinois Police Department and served as a petty officer in the United States Navy.
During his nineteen years, Sergeant Martin has worked nearly every aspect of policing in Gulfport. He has worked as a detective as well as the supervisor of the detective section, and he was responsible for planning and coordinating the field training program for new police officers. He is also a certified traffic homicide investigator and tactical baton instructor. In 1991, Sergeant Martin was named the agency's officer of the year.
More recently, the police department relies on Sergeant Martin's experience in planning and organizing special events, such as the Independence Day celebration, and Gulfport's annual Springfest.
Sergeant Rob Burkhart started his employment for Gulfport as a dispatcher, and he was sponsored by the agency to attend the local police academy. He began his career as an officer in 2001, and he was quickly promoted to the position of detective, where he distinguished himself as an excellent investigator, earning the officer-of-the-year award in 2003.
Among Sergeant Burkhart's accomplishments, he helped pioneer the agency's marine patrol efforts, and he is now responsible for planning and supervising our waterfront operations. He also holds advanced certifications in death and sex crimes investigations.
Sergeant Burkhart, who is the supervisor of our investigations unit, has an Associate's degree from Williamson College in Philadelphia.
Sergeant Terry Taylor is the longest-serving member of the Gulfport Police Department. He started as a patrol officer in 1986, after working briefly as a deputy in the Pinellas County Jail and following service in the United States Navy. He is currently the supervisor of the Charlie Squad.
During his long tenure, Taylor has worked as a detective and as a school resource officer for Boca Ciega High School. He also served as a traffic homicide investigator and breath test operator when he was assigned as an officer in the patrol division.
Sergeant Taylor received the officer-of-the-year award in 2000.
Sergeant Josh Stone is the newest member of our management team, having been promoted to the rank of sergeant after two years of distinguished service as a detective. He is the supervisor of the Delta Patrol Squad. Sergeant Stone grew up in Gulfport, and he has been with the agency since 2001. Most recently, he has been involved with the police department's crime awareness and prevention program, where he shares much of what he has learned through his specialized training in that area.
A graduate of the University of South Florida, Stone has a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminology, and he plans to pursue a master's degree in the near future.
Police Services Supervisor, James Beane is an nine-year veteran of the police department. Starting as a dispatcher in 1999, Supervisor Beane proved a valuable asset in evaluating and managing the increasing technological aspects of police work. Now as the supervisor of support services, James manages the people, equipment and programs for our high-tech communications and records management systems. In addition, Supervisor Beane serves as the agency's instructor and point of contact for our access to the FBI's Criminal Justice Information System database.
Supervisor Beane has an Associate's degree from ITT Technical Institute and a Bachelor's degree from Tampa College. He has also attended specialized courses in management of police records and communications.
