Richard R. Del Toro, Jr. Appointed Acting Chief of Police
City Manager Jesus Merejo has appointed Richard R. Del Toro, Jr. to serve as the Acting Chief of Police, following the retirement of the current Chief of Police, John Bolduc, Sunday, April 30.
“Assistant Chief Del Toro has been an exemplary leader with over 24 years of professional law enforcement experience, and I am confident in his abilities to lead the Port St. Lucie Police Department during this transition,” stated City Manager, Jesus Merejo. “He carries a high ethical standard, and he has the utmost respect for not only his colleagues but the community he serves.”
Assistant Chief Del Toro was promoted to the rank of Assistant Chief of Police in August 2012. He earned his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Nova Southeastern University and is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute Administrative Officer’s Course and Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute’s Leadership Academy.
Assistant Chief Del Toro has worked in a variety of positions during his career in the Neighborhood Policing Bureau, the Special Investigations Division, Internal Affairs, and as the Commander of the Professional Standards Division and S.W.A.T. Team. As the Assistant Chief of Police since 2012, he has commanded 371 sworn/civilian personnel, over 200 volunteers and managed an overall budget of approximately 60 million dollars.
“It is an honor to be selected as the Acting Chief of Police, and, in this new capacity, I look forward to continuing to work with the City Manager Jesus Merejo and the hardworking men and women of Port St. Lucie Police Department to keep our community safe—the safest large city in Florida,” stated Del Toro. “Nothing has been more important to me than my faith, my family and being the very best public servant to my community; and it will be a special privilege to provide stability during this period of transition, as we write the next chapter of excellence here at the Port St. Lucie Police Department.”
Throughout Assistant Chief Del Toro’s career, 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 a population of over 100,000 residents.
Assistant Chief Del Toro has implemented modern crime reduction processes and strategies 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 56%.
Moving forward, the City Manager will evaluate all available options to fill the permanent Chief of Police position.
