Being appointed Clermont’s Chief of Police in May: When I found out I had been chosen to be the next Chief of Police for the Clermont Police Department, I was extremely honored. I was also humbled by the amount of support I received from our community and City of Clermont staff. The first phone call I made was to my wife and I believe that is when the excitement of the announcement became real for me and my family.

Before becoming police chief: I began my career with the Clermont Police Department in 2005, starting as a Patrol Officer and later joining the Crime Suppression Unit. I was also selected to join the Special Tactics and Weapons Team (SWAT). In 2010, I was promoted to Sergeant. In this role, I supervised day and evening patrol shifts, the Crime Suppression Unit, the K-9 Unit, and our Task Force Officers. A few years later, I was promoted to Lieutenant, where I oversaw two patrol squads. In 2017, I was appointed to the rank of Captain and placed in charge of the Uniform Services Bureau, which consisted of all personnel assigned to patrol and the Traffic unit. In 2021, I was appointed Deputy Chief, responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the Police Department.

Future department goals:

• Become the Safest City in Florida by strengthening existing partnerships, building new partnerships as the City of Clermont continues to grow, and actively enforcing the law within your jurisdiction.
• Enhance our technological capabilities to ensure we can address the crimes of today and the future.
• Increase the number of professional staff members we hire to ensure our sworn personnel have the support needed to carry out the mission of the Clermont Police Department.
• Maintain and enhance the level of trust and respect we have built over the course of several years with our community.

One of my greatest personal achievements: Becoming a United States Marine. I enlisted in the Marine Corps on April 26, 2000, and completed my recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island. During my enlistment I was deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom. While deployed I had the opportunity to meet people from around the world who assisted us in accomplishing the mission before us as United States Marines. This deployment grew a deeper appreciation within me for the freedoms and liberties we enjoy in the United States. I remain in contact with several people I served with, and we often reminisce about our deployment. I was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps on April 26, 2004.

One thing that stands out about serving on the PD: The amount of support we receive from our community and the resilience of our personnel. The community support we feel in Clermont is not common around the nation. We truly appreciate everything our community does for the Police Department and show that appreciation by providing the best possible service we can to the community we serve.

I am a member of: The Florida Police Chief’s Association and currently serve on the Professional Standards and Training Committee. I graduated the FBI National Academy in December of 2025 and joined the FBI National Academy Associates, which is a group of past graduates of the National Academy who meet annually to learn about best practices and receive training in various current topics relevant to law enforcement.

Awards/certifications: Over the course of my career I have obtained several certifications such as Managing the Accreditation Process, Property and Evidence Management, Crisis Intervention Training, and REACT training by the University of Central Florida. I have also attended several leadership development courses to include the FBI National Academy session 292, Future and New Police Chief training seminars by the Florida Police Chief’s Association, and I attended the Extreme Ownership Leadership Course hosted by Echelon Front.

Favorite place in South Lake County is: The Clermont Chain of Lakes. My family and I enjoy boating the chain of lakes with family and friends. I find the time we spend on the lakes to be relaxing and have enjoyed the many memories we have made on the chain of lakes with our children.

Three words that describe me: Dependable. Goal-oriented. Loyal.

A person who has had a big impact on my career is: My wife. Her unwavering support for me over the past 20 years is one of the main reasons I have been able to accomplish what I have in my career. Without her support I do not believe that I would be in the position I am in today. She believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. We look forward to what this new chapter in our lives will bring and are prepared to serve the Clermont community together.

Best advice to my younger self: ‘Protect your peace’ is a phrase I heard listening to the Trent Shelton podcast. You will face many challenges along your journey through life. If you allow people to dictate how you feel, you will never obtain a sense of peace within you. Protect your peace as vehemently as you protect those you love and serve.

Best advice to others: Don’t become distracted by the “noise.” There will always be people who agree and disagree with the decisions you make. You must remain focused on the goal(s) you have set for yourself. When you get caught up in the “noise,” it becomes easy to lose your focus and forget about what is important to you. Remain focused and rise above the “noise.”

Words to live by: Do not forget about the people who assisted you in accomplishing your goals. These words keep me grounded and provide me motivation to assist others in achieving their goals. Often people who achieve a level of success forget about those who assist them in achieving that success, which can erode the foundation of trust and respect inside that team or organization. As a person moves up the ladder of success, it is my belief one hand should still reach out to assist others in climbing the ladder of success.

Favorite food: I enjoy a good thin crust pizza with cheese, pepperoni and green peppers. There are two locations in Clermont that I believe have the best pizza in Central Florida.

On my bucket list: I’d love to see a soccer match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, or El Classico, in Spain. These two clubs are known for their style of play and having some of the best players in the world on their rosters.

A fun fact about me: I enjoy doing yard work (mowing the lawn, trimming the bushes, pulling weeds, and planting new items in our family garden). I find all these tasks to be relaxing for the mind and body. It also provides me and my family the opportunity to spend time together and literally enjoy the fruits and vegetables of our labor.

Favorite sports team: The Chicago Cubs. My family is from the Chicago area and at a young age I grew to love “Da Cubs.” Some of my best memories were watching Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson, Shawn Dunston and Mark Grace with my grandfather and uncles. The Cubs were lovable losers for many years and then won the World Series in 2016. It appears “Da Cubs” are in a position to contend for a World Series again this year and we are hopeful to see them raise a second trophy!

Photos: Nicole Hamel