Palm Bay Police Department

04/08/2026

Caring for someone with special needs or dementia takes strength. You don’t have to do it alone.

Join us for Empower & Connect on May 2nd from 10AM to 2PM at the Tony Rosa Community Center located at 1502 Port Malabar Blvd NE. This event is designed to give caregivers the tools, resources, and support they deserve.

Connect with local organizations, learn about available services, and walk away with real information that can make a difference in your day to day life.

If you’re a caregiver, this is for you. If you know someone who is, share this with them.

You take care of others. Let us help take care of you!

04/07/2026

In case you missed it!

04/03/2026

Yesterday marked a historic moment for the Palm Bay Police Department, as we held our first Change of Command Ceremony. We had a great turnout from the community, and we appreciate everyone who attended!

This ceremony represents the formal passing of leadership and our continued commitment to serving the community. It was a great moment to honor Chief Augello’s 26 years of service to our city, and to celebrate Chief Spears’ transition into his new role.

This opportunity was made possible because for the first time, the incoming Chief was announced prior to the current Chief’s retirement, allowing us to recognize both leaders together. This promotion highlights the city’s commitment to developing its people. As a Palm Bay native, Chief Spears brings firsthand knowledge of our community and our personnel, allowing a seamless transition.

Chief Augello, thank you for your service to our community! Chief Spears, congratulations on your new role!

04/02/2026

From Rookie to Chief: Part 3

In the final part of this series, we highlight Chief Augello’s legacy.

Chief Augello continued to pass through the ranks, promoting to Commander, Deputy Chief and Chief. His footprint extends well beyond his title. Under his leadership, our organization took lasting steps toward prioritizing the well being of our members. He introduced our first ever therapy dog, recognizing the role that comfort plays in helping our staff navigate the unique challenges of this profession. He established our first, full time in house Wellness Coordinator, ensuring our staff have direct access to the resources and support the need, personally and professionally.

Chief Augello strengthened our commitment to physical wellness through the creation of “Project 129,” which is an in house fitness center that is dedicated to Chief Rogers. This space promotes both physical health and serves as a mental release. Further, he expanded our wellness and chaplain programs, building a resource of support for every member of our organization.

His vision assisted in developing our Palm Bay Police Foundation, which is designed to support our members with training, equipment, personal struggles, and physical or mental wellness initiatives.

Most importantly, Chief Augello led with heart. As we said in Part 2, Chief Augello is a family man who reminded us often of what truly matters. Most don’t know this, but Chief Augello sent out daily emails to our agency. Not directives or assignments, but motivational emails. These “Daily Positives” became a staple to us all, providing encouragement, perspective, and a resource of comfort. If you ask around, most members will say that there is at least one “Daily Positive” email that resonated with them personally. These emails demonstrated that leadership is not just about direction, but also connection. As one member stated, Chief Augello didn’t start focusing on wellness after he became Chief, he has been promoting it for years. Long before it became a conversation in Law Enforcement, he understood its importance and quietly built the grounds we stand on today, even if he didn’t know it at the time.

Chief Augello was deeply committed to our community and was always present and engaged, strengthening the relationship with those we serve.

His leadership has left a lasting impact on our organization. Chief Augello, we hope you read this…. Thank you for your service, thank you for everything you’ve done for us, and thank you for the countless hours you have sacrificed away from your family. Congratulations on your retirement and enjoy everything life has to offer!

04/02/2026

On March 28th 2026, officers with the Palm Bay Police Department responded to the 1500 block of Bombardier Boulevard in reference to an abandoned suitcase with vultures nearby. Upon arrival, officers located a black suitcase in tall grass and discovered human remains inside. Evidence within the suitcase identified Lucas Jones as an immediate person of interest.

The investigation revealed Jones was associated with missing person Colie Lee Daniel, who was reported missing to the Indialantic Police Department on March 22, 2026.

Detectives executed a search warrant at Jones’ residence, located at 420 Watson Drive in Indialantic, where Jones and his girlfriend were located.

The girlfriend told investigators that on March 20, 2026, she observed Daniel lying on Jones’ bed and Jones’ was attempting to wake him. Upon returning from the bathroom, she observed Daniel was no longer inside the residence. Jones told her that Daniel exited through the back door.

On March 21, 2026, Jones instructed his girlfriend to ride with him to the area of Bombardier Boulevard in Palm Bay. She observed Jones remove two gray totes and a suitcase from the vehicle and discard them in separate locations but stated she did not know their contents. Flock Safety cameras confirmed the vehicle in the area that day.

On March 28, 2026, Jones was arrested and charged with tampering with evidence, abuse of a dead human body, and improper disposal of human remains. Those remains were later positively identified as Colie Lee Daniel.

Detectives continued the investigation, conducting additional interviews and processing evidence at the scene. Through collaboration with the Brevard County State Attorney’s Office and the Brevard County Medical Examiner’s Office, probable cause was established for Second Degree Murder. On April 1, 2026, investigators executed another search warrant at the Watson Drive residence, where Jones was taken into custody without incident.

We thank the community for your support and patience throughout this investigation. Detectives worked diligently to protect the integrity of the case while carefully developing the evidence. Our priority is to ensure a strong case supported by probable cause before making an arrest of this significance. We would also like to thank our partners from the Brevard County Sheriff's Office and Indialantic Police Department.

Deputy Chief Spears stated, “This investigation serves as a reminder of the strong working relationships that law enforcement agencies within Brevard County have. Although crimes sometimes cross jurisdictional boundaries, we will always work as a team to ensure that proper and thorough investigations are completed.”

Anyone with information relating to this case is asked to contact the Palm Bay Police Department or CrimeLine.

03/31/2026

Reminder! Everyone is welcome to attend, and we hope to see you there!

📅 Thursday, April 2
⏰ 1:30 PM
📍 Heritage High School (2351 Malabar Rd NW)

📣 You're Invited 📣

Please join the Palm Bay Police Department as we honor Chief Mario Augello for his dedicated 26 years of service to our community and officially welcome Deputy Chief Jeff Spears as our new Chief of Police during a special Change of Command Ceremony.

This ceremony is an opportunity for our community to celebrate alongside us as we mark this important transition in leadership. While leadership may change, our commitment to serving our community remains the same.

📅 Thursday, April 2
⏰ 1:30 PM
📍 Heritage High School (2351 Malabar Rd NW)

We hope to see you there!

03/30/2026

The last couple weeks of this session of our Citizens Academy had participants working with our Drug Recognition Experts and Traffic Unit to better understand the dangers of impaired driving. Our Public Information Officer also provided a look into recent calls, highlighting the role of media and crisis communication.

To close out the program, Chief Augello and Deputy Chief Spears presented each participant with a Palm Bay Police Department challenge coin and certificate of completion.

We truly appreciate this groups willingness to learn and the insight they provided from our community.

03/30/2026

📣 ATTENTION 📣

Our Police Department Lobby will be closed this Thursday, April 2nd beginning at 12:00pm. It will reopen on Friday, April 3rd at 8:00am. The community is still welcome to come to the department for police assistance if needed. There is a callbox located outside the lobby door that can be used for assistance.

03/29/2026

Just another day in the Bay...

03/28/2026

Police vs Fire...on the Pickleball court 👀🔥🚔

Join us on April 17th at 6pm inside the Ted Whitlock Center at Fred Poppe Park for Palm Bay PD vs. Palm Bay Fire Rescue with all proceeds benefiting local charities!

We hope to see you there.

03/27/2026

From Rookie to Chief: Part 2

Chief Augello consistently sought opportunities early on to improve and serve his community better. Motivated by that mindset, he quickly moved through the ranks, serving as Corporal, Sergeant and Lieutenant. Each of these roles would add more value to the foundation of his leadership.

Throughout his career, he took on specialty unit assignments that shaped his perspective and approach. He served as a member of the SWAT team before taking over as the team Commander, where he was responsible for leading high-risk operations, training, ensuring the preparedness and safety of his team, as well as the safety the community.

During his time in our Crime Suppression Unit, Chief Augello focused on crime trends and intelligence led policing to be a proactive street cop, often taking violent criminals off the streets.

As a Sergeant within the Community Resource Unit, then known as the Neighborhood Policing Unit, he emphasized building strong relationships with the community through trust and engagement. In fact, long time community members often remember or speak about Chief Augello’s days in the Community Resource Unit, recalling his dedication and overall efforts. Serving in the Office of Professional Standards, he approached investigations with fairness, while upholding the integrity of the profession.

As he moved to the Lieutenant position, Chief Augello continued to hold a deep commitment to the department and community. With a priority of mentorships, and open communication, his overall goal was to ensure his team felt supported. As a family man himself, he carried over those values into his leadership style here at the department.

Stay tuned as we wrap up his journey!

03/27/2026

UPDATE @ 2:00pm: The road is back open. Drive safe!

🚨 Road Closed 🚨

Cogan Drive is closed in both directions near Sarasota Drive due to a vehicle crash. Please seek an alternate route.