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BREVARD HISTORY: Archibald Mefford Was Elected Titusville Police Department’s First Chief 103 Years Ago

By  //  February 15, 2026

Titusville’s population was about 1,500 in the 1920s, with seven bars in the city

The Titusville Police Department’s first Chief of Police, Archibald J. Mefford, was born on September 13, 1890, in Stephenville, Texas. Mefford would have been 33 years old when he was elected for his first term in 1923 as Police Chief in Titusville. The image above of Mefford is from the 1920s. (TPD image)

BREVARD COUNTY • TITUSVILLE, FLORIDA – The early foundations of modern policing in Titusville trace back more than a century to the leadership of Archibald J. Mefford, the city’s first chief of police and a pivotal figure in local law enforcement history.

Mefford was born on Sept. 13, 1890, in Stephenville, Texas. At just 33 years old, he was elected in 1923 as the inaugural chief of what is now the Titusville Police Department, marking the beginning of an 18-year tenure that would help shape public safety in the growing community.

Before assuming the role of chief, Mefford already had extensive experience in law enforcement.

He served as the Titusville town marshal and as a constable for Brevard County District No. 2, positions that prepared him for the challenges of policing a small but lively city.

In the early 1920s, Titusville had a population of approximately 1,500 residents and was home to seven bars—conditions that likely increased the demand for consistent law enforcement.

Mefford was elected police chief by popular vote every two years from 1923 through 1933. He later returned to office after being re-elected in 1941, serving until July 1946.

Despite the role’s responsibilities, compensation was modest. In 1929, Mefford earned $125 per month. Assuming Sundays off, that amounted to about $4.81 per day, or roughly 40 cents per hour during a 12-hour shift—only a 26-cent-per-hour increase over the town marshal’s salary at the time.

Titusville's First Chief of Police, A.J. Mefford, circa 1923, used a Model T as a patrol car. The population of Titusville at that time was 1,500 residents. (Titusville police image via Facebook)
Titusville’s First Chief of Police, A.J. Mefford, circa 1923, used a Model T as a patrol car. The population of Titusville at that time was 1,500 residents. Mefford’s son stands on the sideboard of this Model T Ford. This picture was taken in Blanton Park, located at the corner of Main Street and Park Avenue in Titusville. (Image courtesy of Chief Mefford’s family, who visited TPD in the 1990s – via Titusville Police Department Facebook page)

Resources were limited as well. The “night policeman,” a volunteer who watched over the city after hours, received no pay. Mefford conducted patrols using his own Model T Ford, underscoring the personal commitment required of early law enforcement leaders.

Outside of policing, Mefford balanced family life and additional work.

He and his wife, Bessie, raised five children—Novella, Archie “Jean,” Wilma, Cressie Irene, and Merle “Dean.” Before moving to Titusville in 1918, the family lived near Banana Creek on what is now NASA property on Merritt Island.

Travel between Merritt Island and Titusville before 1922 was only possible by boat, as the Walker Bridge had not yet been built. During their years in Titusville, the Mefford family lived on Tropic Street, Palm Avenue, and Hopkins Avenue.

Census records from the era also show that, in addition to his law enforcement duties, Mefford worked as a produce dealer, reflecting the multiple roles often held by community leaders in small towns.

After leaving Titusville, Mefford and his wife moved to Cocoa, where he passed away in 1967. His legacy remains an important chapter in Titusville’s history, representing the dedication and resourcefulness that defined the city’s earliest law enforcement efforts.

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