Port Orange Names New Police Chief

Port Orange, FL - Currently he’s the Assistant Chief of Police for the Hollywood, Florida police department. Soon, he’ll be the new head of the Port Orange Police Department (POPD). The City of Port Orange on Friday (September 17) announced Manuel Marino will become the new police chief for the city, filling in for former Chief Thomas Grimaldi, who retired in June of this year. Mariano was one of 41 applicants for the position. Mariano first got his law enforcement career started with the Hollywood Police Department in 1995. He then worked his way up through the ranks, serving as Major over the Special Operations and Patrol Divisions, Criminal Investigations Division, and Support Services Division before becoming the Assistant Chief of Police over the Administrative Services Bureau in 2018.  According to the city, Mariano holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from Barry University and a Master’s degree in Administrative Leadership from the University of Oklahoma. In 2010, Mariano attended the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy, where he was 1 of only 6 participants selected out of 263 to be a Section Leader. Mariano has also received numerous awards and honors—including Officer of the Year—throughout his career. He has served on the executive boards for the Hollywood Police Athletic League, Voices for Children of Broward County, and has been regularly visiting Volusia County for the last 20 years. The city says they expect Marino to start on October 25.