ORANGE PARK, Fla. – As we shine a light on the town of Orange Park as part of our first ever “4 Your Neighborhood,” some may or may not have realized the town has a new police chief.
Chief Randy Case, who was sworn in as Orange Park Police Chief this past May following the retirement of long-serving chief, Gary Goble, shared his goals and visions as a town leader with News4JAX.
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A military veteran and dedicated lawman, it’s fair to say that Randy Case has never been afraid of a challenge. And during our visit, it became clear that he’s not afraid to show his pride when it comes to his team.
“Rebecca, in fact, she’s our dispatcher of the year for 2024,” Case pointed out while speaking to News4JAX.
Though he’s been the chief for nearly a year, one of the things he really takes pride in is being there for citizens through the good and the bad.
“It has been everything I’d thought it would be and more,” Case said about being a police chief. “I believe if you’re fair with people and you spend time to understand what’s going on in their lives or what the issue is, that you can make a decision and help them in the long run.”
As the top cop, Chief Case said a priority for him is not only hiring great officers, but keeping great officers. One of the first things he did was set up a process for his corporals to receive leadership training through the FBI. Case also wants the officers to go through the FDLE Florida Leadership Academy.
There’s also a focus on specialized training for all supervisors.
“I want them to understand the process and what they may have to do in an officer-involved shooting, or a critical incident, or a kidnapping something along those lines. I want to make sure they have that information,” he explained.
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There’s also a push to make sure the men and women of the Orange Park Police Department embody the department’s values, which he lists as:
- Honor
- Integrity
- Dedication
- Courage
- Selfless Service
When it comes to that last one—selfless service— the chief went above and beyond to promote it.
The department’s original badges used to show the officer’s rank at the top. With the town name and the word “police” at the bottom.
Case decided a change was in order.
“The top panel is Orange Park. That’s our biggest priority. That’s what we need to be caring about. Under that, we have our police department, and at the bottom is “officer,” “corporal” or “chief’s rank.”
“It helps the officers tie in that the most important thing here is, and you wear it over your heart, is the town of Orange Park,” Case explained. “And then there’s the police department and then there’s me. That’s where that selfless service ties in and they wear it on their heart and that’s a reminder for them.”
Above all, Case said he wants the community to know he’s here and ready to listen, no matter what.
“I’m available, I want to help people solve problems in their neighborhood,” he said. “Our department is here to serve the town of Orange Park [and its] residents, and I’m very proud of them.”
