Investigations and Support

Deputy Chief Eric DeFelice most recently served as the Major of Criminal Investigations, which is comprised of the Major Crimes Bureau, the Violent Crimes Bureau, and the Forensics Investigations Unit, where he provided oversight of all long-term, latent investigations allowing uniform patrol officers to focus on day-to-day operations.

Deputy Chief DeFelice began his career with the Tampa Police Department in 2005. He previously served three years as a patrol officer with the Montgomery County Police Department in Montgomery County, Maryland. His initiative and dedicated performance were quickly recognized. Within two years, he was asked to join the District One Quick Uniform Attack on Drugs (QUAD) Squad to address street-level narcotics issues plaguing the district. In 2010, he received his first promotion, rising in rank to detective. Later, he transitioned to the role of Corporal for a Rapid Offender Control (ROC) Squad, focusing on the swift apprehension of criminal suspects and repeat offenders. 

With leadership skills evident, he was promoted to Sergeant in 2014 and became the commanding officer of another ROC Squad before moving to his next assignment as supervisor of the then newly formed Tactical Narcotics Team (TNT). In this role, he coordinated investigations, intelligence-gathering, and enforcement action with a goal of dismantling organizations involved in illicit street-level narcotics activities and improving quality of life for residents. 

2018 brought him to the rank of Lieutenant and he began working in District Three. In his new capacity, he took quickly to the role of motivating personnel to higher levels of performance while balancing the expectations of executive management. His supervisory style conveyed a vested interest in both employee and departmental success while working toward the goal of crime reduction. His proudest accomplishment during this period was earning the respect of those who worked under his command. He was then promoted to Captain and began his assignment as the commander of Sector C, covering the city north of Busch Boulevard, including New Tampa. 

Deputy Chief DeFelice has been the recipient of numerous commendations, including being presented with the Excellent Duty Award for his leadership skills. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.