Chief Frank J. Kitzerow Jr. Palm Beach County School District Police Department

WEST PALM BEACH, FL – June 15, 2018 – Frank J. Kitzerow, Jr., a veteran police officer who has led the Jupiter Police Department for nearly 13 years and whose distinguished career in law enforcement spans more than 35 years, has been selected to become the next Chief of Police of the School District of Palm Beach County.

Chief Kitzerow's appointment is pending approval by the School Board at its June 20 meeting.

During his tenure as Chief of Police for the Town of Jupiter, Chief Kitzerow helped improve collaboration and communication for law enforcement agencies throughout Palm Beach County. He championed a regional consortium of 25 law enforcement agencies than shared information and intelligence, and pushed for a regional emergency communications center that would improve responses between agencies during critical events.

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Frank J. Kitzerow, Jr., future Chief of Police of the School District of Palm Beach County

"We are extremely fortunate to have someone with Chief Kitzerow's breadth and depth of experience to lead our School District Police Department," said Dr. Donald E. Fennoy II, Palm Beach County Schools Superintendent. "Chief Kitzerow has built his career by working with multiple local, state and federal agencies, and that knowledge will only benefit our students, teachers and staff in Palm Beach County."

Prior to coming to Palm Beach County, Chief Kitzerow worked as a police chief and officer in Virginia, serving most of his career with the Fairfax County Police Department.

In his 25 years with Fairfax County Police, Chief Kitzerow established a Regional Intelligence Center in conjunction with the FBI to provide real-time information regarding terrorist threats after the September 11 attacks; organized and commanded a multi-agency task force to investigate and prosecute the Washington, D.C., Beltway Sniper shootings; and directed criminal investigations related to major crimes, organized crimes and narcotics, and money laundering.

Chief Kitzerow also served as Chief of Police for the Portsmouth, Va., Police Department, before he was named Chief of Police for Jupiter in 2005.

During his time in Palm Beach County, Chief Kitzerow has served in a number of leadership roles with law enforcement organizations throughout the state, including:

Chairman of the Board of Directors for the LEX Data Sharing Project, Palm Beach County;
Executive Board Member for the Florida Regional Domestic Security Task Force;
Chairman, Florida Police Chiefs Association Public-Private Partnership Committee;
Chairman, FDLE Region XII Criminal Justice Advisory Board;
Immediate Past President of the Florida Police Chiefs Association;
Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Palm Beach County Regional Criminal Justice Academy;
Executive Board Member for the Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission;
Past President of the Palm Beach County Police Chiefs Association; and,
Past Chairman of the Palm Beach County Law Enforcement Planning Council.

Chief Kitzerow's work in the community has also earned recognition from many community organizations in the county, including:

Heroes Award, ADL Florida, 2016
El Sol Legacy Award, 2016
ASIS Exemplary Leadership Award, 2014
Town of Jupiter Team Achievement Award, 2012
ASIS Palm Beach County Police Chief of the Year, 2011
"Real Heroes" Award, American Red Cross Palm Beach County, 2010

Chief Kitzerow earned a Bachelor's of Science degree in Management from National Louis University, and a Master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Phoenix. He graduated from the FBI National Academy in 2000.

PLEASE NOTE: Chief Kitzerow will not be available for formal interviews until after School Board appointment. Thank you.

About the School District of Palm Beach County

The School District of Palm Beach County is the 10th largest in the nation and the fifth largest in the state of Florida with 185 schools, serving more than 172,000 students who speak 154 languages and dialects. As the largest employer in Palm Beach County, the school district has more than 22,000 employees, including more than 12,000 teachers.