Two horse-mounted police officers at Tampa Convention Center waterfront

Lee Bercaw, Chief of Police

Lee Bercaw, Chief of Police

Chief of Police Lee Bercaw,  joined the Tampa Police Department in 1997. During his tenure, he has worked in all three districts. He has become known for his proactive crime reduction initiatives and his management of large-scale events in security and transportation for the Super Bowl, Republican National Convention, IFFA (International Indian Film Academy - aka “Bollywood”), Gasparilla and the College Football National Championship. In addition, he was instrumental in devising quality of life improvements and crime reduction strategies in the city.

He holds a doctorate in Criminal Justice from St. Leo University, as well as a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Criminology from the University of South Florida (USF).

In 2016, Chief of Police Bercaw was honored by the USF Department of Criminology by being named to their Wall of Fame as an Outstanding Criminology Ambassador. He is a board member of the Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Education and Research Foundation.