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City of St. Augustine Beach selects permanent police chief

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The St. Augustine Beach City Commission voted unanimously to appoint Interim Police Chief Daniel Carswell as the permanent Police Chief for the City.

“Dan Carswell’s appointment as the St. Augustine Beach Chief of Police is very appropriate and well deserved. Chief Carswell’s dedication, love of the City, plus his proven ability as interim Chief to lead our Police Department and coordinate with other agencies make him the perfect choice. I am grateful for his service and wish him every success,” Mayor Margaret England said in the City’s meeting Monday night.

Carswell has served as the Interim Police Chief since November 9, 2020 when Rob Hardwick was elected as the St. Johns County Sheriff. He joined the police force in 2006 and served as a patrol officer for six years. He was later promoted to Patrol Sergeant and then P[atrol Operations Lieutenant. In early 2020 Carswell was promoted to the rank of Commander by Hardwick.

During the meeting, County Commissioner Henry Dean, a Special Investigator with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Hardwick all gave their positive recommendation to the City Commission regarding Carswell.

“I am very excited and honored to be selected as Chief of Police. The St. Augustine Beach Police Department has an outstanding history of police chiefs who were loved by this community and the officers they led. I hope to continue in that tradition and maintain the reputation that the SABPD has earned,” Carswell said in the meeting. “This agency means everything to me, and I am going to continue to work hard to serve this community every day. I am very thankful for the support of my family, friends, an entire SABPD family. Without their help and support over the past year, this would not have been possible.”