Jeff Jacobs Shuns Retirement To Provide Security At Port
By Space Coast Daily // June 13, 2015
ACTIVE LIVING SPECIAL FEATURE
ABOVE VIDEO: Veteran law enforcement expert Jeff Jacobs is at it again as the 25-year Brevard County resident has come out of retirement at age 66 for a second time to work with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Veteran law enforcement expert Jeff Jacobs is at it again as the 25-year Brevard County resident has come out of retirement at age 66 for a second time to work with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.
In his new job, Jacobs will oversee quality control for security at Port Canaveral for the Brevard Sheriff’s Office, and was recently sworn in by Sheriff Wayne Ivey.
Those who know Jacobs, or have had the pleasure to meet him, would all agree no one could ask for a better friend. The embodiment of a professional lawman and public servant, he’s the type of guy who is always eager to help those in need.
His son, Dave Jacobs, likes to talk about his father’s willingness to help others.
“If you called my Dad at any hour of the day or night and told him someone was stranded on the interstate and needed a tire changed, my Dad would say, ‘I’m on the way, just tell me where to go,’” said Dave, who followed his father into a career in law enforcement.
SWAT PIONEER
Dave currently serves as a corporal with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and is assigned as the Public Information Officer and Media Relations Liaison.
A graduate of Merritt Island where he starred on the gridiron for the Mustangs, Dave proudly serves the citizens of Brevard County – and has learned from the best – his Dad.
“When it comes to law enforcement, especially Special Weapons and Tactics, my Dad wrote the book – literally,” said Dave.
The book, “SWAT Tactics,” was authored by Jeff and first published in the early 1980s. The book is still selling today and can be found in the Library of Congress collection.
The book details the developmental stages for municipal law enforcement agencies wishing to field Special Weapons and Tactics Teams.
It covers the foundation of what a small agency on a limited budget would need to organize a team, select equipment, set fitness standards, climb, rappel and train SWAT operators – plus a lot more. The book has been published in 20 foreign countries.
Jeff, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, originated one of the first SWAT teams in the Midwest in 1978, and commanded it for more than 12 years during his 20-year career on the police force of St. Ann, Missouri.
He served in patrol, investigations, supervision and as the Commander of the police department’s Special Operations Unit. He is also a graduate of the United States FBI National Academy, a prestigious professional development course for U.S. and international law enforcement leaders.
OUTSTANDING LEADER
One of Jeff’s young police officers in training with the St. Ann Police department in the early 1980s was Maverick Multimedia President & CEO Tom Palermo.
“It was my good luck and pleasure to have Jeff as an instructor and Field Training Officer,” said Palermo.
“He’s an outstanding leader and world-class expert on all facets of law enforcement. I can tell you from first-hand experience, he’s the guy you wanted nearby in the most terrifying situations.”
Although Jeff carries a carefree, respectful and friendly demeanor, don’t let that fool you. He has a third-degree black belt in the mixed martial arts of tae kwon do, hap-ki-do and judo through the Jung Sim Do Martial Arts Federation where he was named a Master.
He also holds a second degree black belt in jujitsu through the Wild Card Alliance Martial Arts of Houston, Texas.
Aside from police work, Jacobs operated a karate dojo in St. Louis that specialized in traditional martial arts, teaching women self-defense tactics, competition and demonstration teams.
LANDS AT SPACE CENTER
When the time came for him to retire from law enforcement as a Lieutenant SWAT Commander in 1990, Rockwell Collins of the Kennedy Space Center called looking for his expertise to set up an off-site security center for NASA in Cape Canaveral.
His assignments included organizing special executive protection operations and training for national and international space executives, and conducting risk analysis reports and threat assessments for special government events and visitors.
Jeff created many of the documents and procedures still being used in the Space Industry today. He earned the American Society for Industrial Security International with the distinguished Physical Security Professional designation.
Jeff’s second retirement arrived three years ago when he left the Space Center, but that didn’t mean he was going to spend his golden years sitting at home watching television.
Jacobs loves law enforcement, but also has another passion: acting.
“He has always had a knack for acting,” said Dave.
Jeff and his kids attended acting school in Orlando during the early 90s and has used those skills and his passion to snag several assignments for television commercials and print ad work.
EXCITED ABOUT NEW ROLE
Still having the desire to protect and serve, Jeff is now on the job as a maritime security officer at Port Canaveral for the Sheriff’s Department after being sworn in by Sheriff Ivey.
For the past 12 years, while keeping a watchful eye on his son Dave’s successful career in law enforcement, he has had the opportunity to spend some time with Sheriff Ivey and is very excited about his new role out at the Port.
“I’ve been around many law enforcement organizations across the country and I can’t think of an agency I would want to be a part of more than the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office,” said Jeff.
“After personally seeing how Sheriff Ivey leads one of the most professional and progressive agencies in the country, I knew I wanted play a part.”
Jeff and Dave are also business partners. The father-son team operates Guardian Elite, an agency that provides training and consulting services for issues dealing with safety, security, firearm training and facility compliance.
The company offers firearms training, CPR and AED training, and specializes in helping church security teams – a service particularly in demand given the current serious threats posed by terrorists.
Jeff is a master firearms instructor and is responsible for Guardian Elite’s executive protection, special event coordination and hand-to-hand physical control training.
“My Dad is the type of guy that will go above and beyond in anything he does, and has an infectious way of motivating others to achieve excellence and always do what is right,” said Dave.
“It’s not surprising that Dad is back protecting and serving,” said Dave.
“It’s woven in his blood. And because his new position is a very hands-on job, he’s right at home.”
