While entering his 40th year in law enforcement, Milton Police Chief Greg Brand will soon turn to the next chapter in his life after retiring from the local law enforcement agency at the end of February.
“I’m just ready to turn the page,” said Brand, who has served as the city’s police chief for nearly 14 years. “It’s not that I don’t like what I do, I still love what I do.”
Brand said he looking forward to spending more time with his wife of 42 years, Florence, and the rest of their family.
During his tenure with the Milton PD, Brand said he has enjoyed serving the city and working alongside with the men and women of the department.
“I haven’t gone to sleep in a long time with any concerns about anybody in this department that has a heavy hand,” Brand said. “I have a police department that treats people with courtesy and respect.”
The Indiana native did not initially begin in the law enforcement profession but with the U.S. Post Office.
After moving to south Florida in 1968, Brand said he became active in the post office labor union in Fort Lauderdale as a chief steward.
“As a chief steward, I was responsible for training like two dozen stewards and I handled a number of union investigations into grievances…and I decided that I kind of like this investigation thing,” he said.
Brand’s interest would lead to his first job with the Hollywood Police Department.
With the Hollywood PD, Brand worked patrol and became training officer. Brand would then work with the department’s tactical unit, which according to Brand, handled a variety of issues.
“That is the fun part of policing and we did a lot of stuff,” Brand said. “We were trouble shooters in the department.”
With tactical, Brand said he and other officers would often work late nights while investigating car burglaries or conduct surveillance on known robbery locations. He would eventually become a detective, then work his way to becoming a sergeant on patrol. Other titles Brand held with the Hollywood PD include lieutenant, shift manager over patrol, section commander in investigations and major crimes. Brand also has experience in working in internal affairs.
Another career highlight was commanding the South Broward Drug Enforcement Unit, Brand said.
“It is one of the larger drug enforcement task forces in the state,” Brand said. “When I went in there I had seven agencies under my roof and when I left three and half years later I had 20.”
Brand left the Hollywood Police Department as a major with the intention to become chief of police elsewhere. Brand narrowed down his list of potential locations with Milton being among the top three. However, Brand knew Milton was the job for him after visiting the area with his wife just days prior to his interview with Milton city officials.
“I have never looked back,” Brand said. “As far as I am concerned, I got the position that fit me to a T.”
During his tenure with Milton PD, Brand has noticed how the population has increased. One good example is the afternoon traffic along U.S. Highway 90.
“When you are on Highway 90 between 3 and 6:30 p.m., it’s not fun,” he said.
The increased traffic lead the local police department to install cameras from American Traffic Solutions along the heavy traffic areas to reduce the number violators. The addition of the cameras has come with good results, Brand said.
“We have a very low recidivism rate, only 6 percent of people that have received a citation from us ever got another one,” Brand said. “So 94 percent of people that ran a red light…they learned the first time and until this day they haven’t ran another one.”
Brand watched his department advance in terms of improved patrol vehicles, firearms, including additional tasers for officers, radio equipment and computer software.
As for the individual who will fill the vacancy left by Brand, which will ultimately be handled by City Manager Brian Watkins, the exiting police chief did leave some words of advice, including the continued networking with other law enforcement agencies and having a community presence.
“You have to be part of the community, meaning that you get along with everybody. You treat everybody with courtesy and respect, that is the backbone of policing,” he said.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: The man behind the Shield