Chief William Berger

William Berger was named Chief of Police of the City of Palm Bay on September 25, 2004.  Previous to his appointment, Chief Berger spent 15 1/2 years as the City of North Miami Beach Police Chief (1989-2004). 

Chief Berger has extensive law enforcement experience.  He has worked in Radio Patrol, Training, Legal, Budget, Planning, Homicide, Robbery, Community Relations, and Internal Affairs.  His previous assignment, before joining the City of North Miami Beach Police Department, was that of Commander of the City of Miami Training Unit and Police Academy.  He also commanded the Miami Robbery, Homicide, and Sexual Battery Unit. 

Chief Berger holds a Juris Doctorate from Shephard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University, a Masters Degree in Public Administration, and a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice from St. Thomas Villanova University. 

Chief Berger is a graduate of Harvard University/J.F.K. School of Government, July 1997, Program for Senior Executives in Government, F.B.I. Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (30th Session), PERF's Senior Management Institute for Police (19th Session), the 132nd Session of the F.B.I. National Academy and has attended over 75 other law enforcement courses.  Chief Berger is a recognized Federal and State Court Expert in the area of police practices.  Chief Berger is the President of Berger and Associates, an independent company that provides police department management studies and promotional testing and tutoring for all ranks from Corporals up to the position of Chief of Police.   He is also a Certified Mediator for the Florida Supreme Court.

Chief Berger has been a member of the following professional and civic organizations: Past President of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), a professional worldwide organization made up of 20,000 law enforcement executives, and Past President of Florida Police Chiefs Association.  He has also served as Past President of the Greater North Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, Past President of the Golden Glades Rotary Club, Past Chairman of The Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Florida Representative to the State Association of Chiefs of Police, Past Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Miami-Dade Community College School of Justice and Safety Administration, Past President of the North Dade American Cancer Society and member of the Executive Board of American Cancer Society.

Honors:  Selected as Florida Police Chief of the Year by Florida Police Chiefs Association in 1992, 2003 and for an unprecedented third time in 2006.

Received Beyond Computing’s Magazine 1999 Partnership Award for Innovation and Technology.

Received 1993 The Up and Comers Award by Price Waterhouse in South Florida Magazine for Top Local Government Official.

Received 1991 President’s Award for Top Administrator for Crime Prevention in the State of Florida by the Florida Crime Prevention Association.

Awarded the “Services Above Self” by the Rotary Int’l Club.

Awarded the prestigious designated Columbus Scholar for work in developing the Safe Program to assist everyday citizens in preparing themselves against terrorism.

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