Clermont Police Chief Charles Broadway ends his successful term as FPCA President

by Chuck Seaver, South Lake Tablet

Clermont Police Chief Chuck Broadway recently completed his term as president of the Florida Police Chiefs Association (FPCA). The FPCA is one of the largest associations of state police chiefs in the United States, with more than a thousand members and representatives from law enforcement agencies throughout the state of Florida. The FPCA serves municipal police departments, airport police, college and university police, tribal police, and railroad and port authorities. Members represent every region of the state of Florida, including state and county agencies, as well as private businesses and security firms.

The association’s original roots date back to 1952, when it was founded to promote legislation that would improve public safety through better police protection for the residents and visitors of the state of Florida. Today’s mission has expanded to include better communication, education and training of the various police and public safety agencies throughout the state of Florida. The FPCA has a large presence in Tallahassee and regularly speaks on legislative issues. Members are frequently recognized by legislative leaders to provide insight on public safety issues and problems in the criminal justice system.

When asked about his accomplishments as chairman of the association, Chief Broadway is quick to point out that no one accomplishes anything alone. “First, I would like to thank my leadership staff, agency staff, City of Clermont leaders and my family for their support in allowing me to serve this past year. The President’s term required many trips throughout the state, including Tallahassee, where I had to meet with legislators and lobbyists on multiple occasions on relevant law enforcement issues. I will always value and respect the team at FPCA because together we are a force multiplier,” says Broadway.

During Chief Broadway’s tenure, FPCA membership increased by 72 new members in the last quarter of 2023 alone, and training conferences now attract as many attendees in the winter as they do in the summer. Chief Broadway advocated for proactive member engagement at all levels of law enforcement while fostering additional community partnerships.

In partnership with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the Florida Sheriffs Association, the FPCA team has launched a Post-Critical Incident Seminar (PCIS) program. The program is a statewide initiative to provide peer-to-peer counseling to police officers and their spouses to help them find healthy ways to cope with stress and accumulated trauma. Supported by the FPCA and the Florida Police Chiefs Education and Research Foundation, this program represents a significant step forward in improving the mental health of police officers. “The feedback from the inaugural seminar in Orlando was extraordinary. Many suggested that every officer experiencing trauma should attend. One officer even said that the seminar gave his life meaning again and probably saved his life,” Broadway says. Several studies have been compiled and agree that the average police officer experiences 118-125 critical, traumatic experiences during his 20-25 year career, while the average citizen experiences 2-5 such experiences over the course of his lifetime.

First aidan organization that tracks suicides of police officers and other first responders from a variety of sources, released a report in March of this year that revealed the horrifying number of 1,287 suicides of public safety workers across the country during the reporting period from 2016 to 2022. The Federal Bureau of Investigation identified 32 suicides from 22 law enforcement agencies reporting nationwide in a 2022 report. “It is paramount that we recognize our officers and help them maintain not only the best physical condition possible, but the best and healthiest mental condition possible,” Broadway says.

Chief Broadway introduces another program, “New Chief’s Training,” implemented in conjunction with the state legislature during his presidency. The program is the first of its kind in the state and was funded by the state legislature. The 40-hour course has been mandatory since March of this year and is for newly appointed police chiefs (3 years of service or less). Newly appointed police chiefs must complete the course within one year of their appointment. The course focuses on giving the new police chiefs an understanding of many of the critical issues they will face and includes interaction with other police chiefs and city officials whose experiences they can learn from.

Another challenge facing law enforcement agencies across the country is recruiting and retaining new officers. Negative approaches by some media outlets to law enforcement-related incidents and competitive salary ranges have made recruiting difficult in recent years. Chief Broadway is exploring ideas that include having each police chief in the state of Florida select a community member who can help influence others in their respective communities to encourage an interest in law enforcement. “Be the change you want to see in your community,” is the message Broadway wants to convey to prospective police candidates. “We need to get others interested in the joy and satisfaction of helping people in their community by being in the law enforcement profession,” Broadway says. Chief Broadway, who was the keynote speaker for the FDLE’s graduating class of 2024, has struggled with recruitment and retention challenges in his department in the past. “Currently, we are fully staffed except for 3-4 sworn positions. Our application, background process and field training programs ensure we hire and retain the best of the best,” says Broadway.

The Clermont Police Department was, until recently, the highest-paying police department in Lake County. With a starting salary between $53,000 and $55,120, depending on experience, the department now lags behind agencies like the Lady Lake Police Department. The Lady Lake City Council approved a 30% raise for its sworn officers in the fall of 2023, making the current starting salary $62,000. Lady Lake currently has a population of 16,179, compared to Clermont’s 50,383. The department’s size is also comparatively unbalanced: Lady Lake employs 39 sworn police officers, compared to Clermont’s 89 officers. “I support the union in their attempt to push through a higher salary range for both starting and experienced pay. We must maintain a competitive compensation and benefits package to not only attract our new heroes, but also retain our experienced heroes. “There are also several intangibles, such as creating an environment and culture where our employees are valued and their contributions are recognized as they are a critical part of the mission and success of the Clermont Police Department,” Broadway says. The Clermont Police Officers and Sergeants Association Local 6013/ 6014, International Union of Police Associations is currently in contract negotiations with the city administration. Union President Robert Corbett was not available for comment at press time.

When asked what he learned during his year-long tenure as FPCA president, Broadway pointed to the opportunity to learn about other aspects of law enforcement across the region of the state. “It was a joy and educational opportunity to see what other agencies, for example in the Panhandle and South Florida, are doing to meet the needs of the population. Although we are one state, different regions of the state require different approaches in terms of cultural, seasonal and geographic requirements. The experience also reminded me how blessed and honored I am to have the opportunity to serve in this capacity. After seeing other parts of the state, it made me very grateful for my own department and city. I am very blessed to be a part of the Clermont family,” Broadway says.

Chief Broadway has been in law enforcement for 28 years, beginning his career with the New York City Police Department in 1996. He served with the Gainesville Police Department beginning in 2002 and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement beginning in 2004 before joining the ranks of the Clermont Police Department in 2010. Chief Broadway has built a reputation in the community that includes supporting his coworkers and being involved in the community with events such as the recent summer youth basketball camp, “Coffee with a Cop” meetups, and the Special Olympics Torch Relay, to name a few.