Chuck Seaver, South Lake Tablet
The City of Clermont appears to still be in a decision mode about the future of its police chief position. The chief’s position was vacated in March of this year by then Chief Chuck Broadway, who left the City of Clermont on good terms to pursue a position as the police chief for the City of Kissimmee.
In the meantime, Deputy Police Chief John Graczyk has been selected as the city’s top cop, serving as the interim police chief until a decision regarding the chief’s position is made by Interim City Manager Rick Van Wagner.
Interim Chief Graczyk is no stranger to the Clermont Police Department (CPD). Graczyk, after serving in the United States Marine Corps from 2000-2004, including a tour in Iraq in 2002, decided to enter the law enforcement profession as a police officer after graduating the Law Enforcement Academy in 2005. Interim Chief Graczyk contributes his interest in law enforcement to his Uncle Greg Alayon, a retired police officer of the Kissimmee Police Department. “Greg motivated me at a very young age to want to become a police officer,” says Graczyk.
A benefit that Interim Chief Graczyk possesses is the fact that he has worked and studied his way through the chain of command from his first days in patrol and specialized units within the department to his promotion to Deputy Chief in January of 2022. Interim Chief Graczyk not only knows the department well, but he knows the needs of the community by staying in touch with community members, leaders and those in attendance at community relations events such as Coffee with a Cop program and the Lincoln Park Alliance, just to name a few.
The Clermont Police Department currently has budget allocations for 97 sworn police officers and 12 professional staff members that range from administrative assistants, records personnel and evidence technicians. Interim Chief Graczyk has prepared himself for the future demands of a rapidly growing city and police department by continuing leadership and other educational opportunities that present themselves. With a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology accomplished, Graczyk has also successfully completed the Florida Executive Development and FBI LEEDA – a course that enhances the leadership skills and competencies of law enforcement professionals, Future Police Chief course sponsored by the Florida Police Chief’s Association, Command Officer Development sponsored by the Southern Police Institute, Extreme Ownership Leadership course, completed the Leadership Lake program in 2022, attended and successfully completed the FBI National Academy and completed the New Police Chief’s seminar in 2025. Interim Chief Graczyk is also an active member of the Florida Police Chief’s Association and the Florida Chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates – an international organization of 14,000+ senior law enforcement professionals dedicated to providing communities, states, countries, and law enforcement professions with the highest degree of law enforcement expertise, training, education and information.
When asked what he has learned about himself since being promoted to Deputy Chief in 2022, Graczyk is quick to reply, emotional intelligence with a broader mindset. “You must prioritize and execute critical tasks that do not always give a lot of notice to their arrival. Developing meaningful relationships throughout the city with clear and concise communication is necessary. Team members come and go over time, but with a clear mission statement, the family atmosphere remains among the team. I do not allow myself to get caught up in distractions,” says Graczyk.
“My priority focus, if promoted to chief, is ensuring that that the trust that our community has placed in the Clermont Police Department is not compromised. It is my responsibility to ensure that we meet and/ or exceed the expectations placed upon us by the community. Providing the best available training and resources available is one of the most important continuing goals to achieve that trust,” says Graczyk.
Another priority focus that Interim Chief Graczyk would like to bring to fruition, if promoted, would be a Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) that would allow the department to respond to complaints in real time, as they are happening. The vision of the RTCC is still a project in progress at the planning stage but would perhaps include the participation of round the clock monitoring of cameras and other data by a police officer and crime analyst. In today’s fast-paced and complex public safety environment, many law enforcement agencies are turning to RTTC’s to gain a critical edge. The RTTC’s are designed to provide officers in the field with data, video feeds, and analytical tools that support faster, smarter decision-making.
As one of the fastest growing counties in one of the fastest growing states in the nation, Interim Chief Graczyk was asked about some of the key challenges that he perceived for the CPD right now. “At this point, our key challenge is filling vacancies of police officer positions. We currently have 8 out of 15 vacancies spoken for. Those potential candidates have conditional offers or are sponsored cadets through the Law Enforcement Academy. We are continuing to work towards filling the other 7 vacancies and hope to have those filled by October of this year. To address this challenge, the salary adjustment was approved and signing bonuses were implemented for a short time,” says Graczyk.
Clermont City Council members recently approved a pay scale adjustment for the CPD complete with a three-year plan that will make the officers’ salaries competitive with area law enforcement agencies. “I want to thank the city council and the interim city manager for approving the sergeants and police officers’ union contract. I also want to thank the Police Benevolent Association for their efforts throughout the negotiation process. These changes have already strengthened our recruiting efforts by attracting experienced officers to the department,” says Graczyk.
When asked of any major changes for the CPD if he is promoted to chief, Graczyk states that “I do not plan on making any major changes to the department. Chief Broadway built a strong foundation for us to build upon. My intentions will be to build upon that foundation and ensure that the Clermont Police Department remains one of the premier law enforcement agencies in central Florida.
With a strong public relations reputation within the community and a national crime average that remains far below the national average for violent and property crimes, the residents can look forward to smaller and more frequent pop-up events held at various public locations throughout the city. Plans are underway to take these community interaction opportunities to parks, schools, churches and neighborhoods. “We plan to offer a more personal and engaging experience for the citizens by hosting these events on a smaller scale and more often,” says Graczyk.
When asked about the following of former Chief Broadway’s footprints, Interim Chief Graczyk replied with confidence and a wide smile that “Chief Broadway’s footprints are large, but those are his footprints. Chief Broadway was an excellent mentor to me and helped provide the tools that assisted me to gain and sharpen the leadership skills that I would need to take this department to the next level. Now, I intend to create my own footprints by continuing the legacy that has been entrusted upon us as an agency,” says Graczyk.
In closing, Interim Chief Graczyk conveyed his deep appreciation to his wife of 23 years, Angie, and his three children ranging in age from 9-21. “This was a family decision for me to take the next step in my career. Without my family’s support in entirety, I would not be doing this,” says Graczyk.
If promoted, Interim Police Chief John Graczyk would be the 7th Police Chief to serve the City of Clermont since the city’s incorporation in 1884. The town had no chief or official law enforcement of any kind for many of its earliest years.
