The Field Operations Division is responsible for oversight and management of the Patrol Operations Bureau and the Special Operations Bureau. The division is supervised by an Assistant Chief of Police Martin K. Bechtel, with two Majors, one in charge of each bureau. The Assistant Chief reports directly to the Chief of Police and is responsible to the Chief for the efficient and effective operation of the division.
Assistant Chief Martin Bechtel
Martin Bechtel began his law enforcement
career with the Florida Highway Patrol in 1982. He became a member of the Palm
Beach Sheriff's Office in 1986 and served there until retirement in 2016.
During his 30-year career with the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office he worked and
trained several police dogs, was a Road Patrol Sergeant, Canine Unit Sergeant,
Watch Commander, District Commander and Commander of the Special Operations
Division, which was comprised of several specialty units including Canine, SWAT,
Bomb Squad, Marine, Aviation, Intel, Emergency Field Force and Mounted.
Martin
Bechtel joined the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department in 2017 as the Major
overseeing the Patrol Operations Bureau. He was appointed to the position of
Assistant Chief in 2019 and oversees the Patrol Operations and Special Operations
Bureaus. He earned a Master of Public Administration Degree from Barry
University and is a graduate of the 251st Session at the FBI National Academy
in Quantico, Virginia.