Nelson Moya selected as Gainesville’s new Chief of Police
Published on September 13, 2024
After a nationwide search, the City of Gainesville is pleased to announce Nelson Moya as its next chief of police. He assumes his new position effective Monday, September 16, 2024.
Moya joined the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) in June 2023 as assistant chief and has served as interim chief of police since March 2024. He has more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement, beginning as a 19-year-old officer in the City of Palm Bay, Florida, and rising through the ranks to eventually take the helm of the Palm Bay Police Department in 2019. In 2022, Moya accepted a position in Suffolk County in Long Island, New York, overseeing justice intervention initiatives and implementing the county’s first Threat Assessment and Management (TAM) team.
Since arriving at GPD, Moya has guided law enforcement strategies aimed at making Gainesville a safer community for all neighbors.
• Launched a Gun Violence Prevention Initiative that relies on data collection and analysis to enhance enforcement and intervention efforts
• Strengthened violent crime prevention and intervention efforts through firearm seizures, gun buy backs and community outreach
• Sharpened the focus on recruitment with the goal of bringing new officers into the agency
The Human Resources Department conducted the police chief search process from July 22 through August 22, 2024. Applications were received from candidates in 22 states, with some as distant as Colorado, New York and Oklahoma.
“Our recent search for a new chief of police brought us 45 submitted applications,” said City Manager Cynthia W. Curry. “Seven of those were selected for my review. Nelson Moya was one of the seven, and it became clear that, in this applicant pool, he was far and above the most qualified candidate to meet the needs of our agency.”
Moya was first selected by the city following a nationwide search for an assistant chief that concluded with a May 2023 public meet-and-greet for the four finalists identified during the recruitment process.
A public swearing-in ceremony will be held at a later date.
For additional information, please contact Gainesville Police Department Public Information Officer Brandon Hatzel at HatzelBM@GainesvilleFL.gov.