VIDEO: Merritt Island Native Kyle Fitzgerald Becomes Newest Member of Cocoa Police Department
By Space Coast Daily // June 18, 2018
graduate of Merritt Island High School
ABOVE VIDEO: Kyle Fitzgerald, 26, accepted the Police Officer’s Oath in a special swearing in ceremony Monday afternoon at the police department.
BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA, FLORIDA – A former VCOP is now the newest member of the Cocoa Police Department. Kyle Fitzgerald, 26, accepted the Police Officer’s Oath in a special swearing in ceremony Monday afternoon at the police department.
Chief Mike Cantaloupe administered the oath in front of a group of Fitzgerald’s family and friends and police department personnel.
Fitzgerald is a Brevard County native, growing up in Merritt Island. He is a graduate of Merritt Island High School and went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Central Florida in 2016. He then attended the Criminal Justice Academy at Eastern Florida State College where he graduated in early March.
Fitzgerald says he fell in love with the profession when he became a police explorer at the age of 14. He is a long-time friend of Matt Rush who is current detective with the department.
According to Fitzgerald, Detective Rush, and his father Sgt. Mark Rush, had a positive influence on his decision to also pursue a career in law enforcement.
Fitzgerald was a VCOP for approximately 2 years with the department before accepting the full time sworn position for which he is now entering.
Fitzgerald will spend the next several months learning the policies and procedures of the department.
He will also spend time assigned to a field training officer before being deployed to solo patrol duties.
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