Candidate: Keith M. Touchberry

Keith M. Touchberry began his law enforcement career in 1989 after serving six and one-half years on active duty in the Marine Corps Infantry field. Prior to that, he served for 18 months in the Army Reserve. He was hired by the Vero Beach Police Department in May of 1989 and for just over 24 years served in a variety of operational and support positions until retiring in 2013 as a Captain to become the Chief of Police for the Fellsmere Police Department.  September 2023 will mark his 10th year of service at the police chief in Fellsmere.

Keith’s career positions include uniform patrol, K-9 officer, K-9 team trainer, SWAT officer, uniform corporal and uniform and detective sergeant. As a command level officer, he served in numerous capacities such as training coordinator, CFA Accreditation Manager and Assessor, range administrator, operations bureau commander and support services bureau commander,

Keith has a Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Florida. He is also a graduate of the Southern Police Institute’s 108th Administrative Officers Course at the University of Louisville, the Florida Police Chief’s Associations’ (FPCA)“Future Chief’s” and “New Chief’s” Seminars, the 16th Session of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police “Executive Institute”, the ICMA “Emerging Leaders Development Program (ELDP), and the 4th Session of the FBI National Command Course (NCC)

Keith is adjunct faculty at Indian River State College in Ft. Pierce where he teaches an advanced course in ethics to certified law enforcement officers.  He is also the primary Ethics instructor for the FPCA “Future Chiefs” seminar and the  Communication, Organization, Roles/Responsibilities and Expectations (CORE) program.  He was also the primary ethics instructor for the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne for that institutions Baccalaureate Criminal Justice degree program, online from 2010 until the program was discontinued in 2023. 

Keith has the following professional affiliations: Chairman, FDLE Region XI Training Council (Indian River State College), Member and past President of the Florida Police Chiefs Association, Member, and past Chairman, Professional Standards Committee, Florida Police Chiefs Association, Member, Legislative Committee, Florida Police Chief’s Association, Member and past President, Treasure Coast Police Chief’s and Sheriff’s Association, Member and past Chairman, Executive Roundtable of Indian River County, Member and co-founder, Fellsmere Action Community Team (F.A.C.T.), Member, Moonshot, Community Action Network of the Learning Alliance “Moonshot Moment” (Indian River County)., Mentor, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (2017-2023).

Keith has lived in Indian River County since 1989 and has been married to his wife Kimberly since 1991. They have two adult children. 

Notable Awards: 

Two life saving medals, one exceptional duty medal, one exceptional service medal (Vero Beach Police Department), one Unit Citation (Fellsmere Police Department), two good conduct medals, one overseas deployment ribbon (USMC), one Army Service ribbon (USAR). 

Notable Achievements: 

Primary creator, Future Educators Response to Emergency Situations program (FERTS) at IRSC, currently working of statewide implimentation. 

http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/MSDHS/Meetings/2021/September/Documents/9-27-21-330pm-Chief-Touchberry-FERTAS-Training.aspx

Creator, Cadets and Kids program in partnership with the Learning Alliance/Moonshot Moment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GrT0FX2Avo

Creator, "Habitual Drunkard" program based on a Florida Law of the same name designed to reduce alcohol sales to those most at risk in partnership with family members and local businesses.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=habitual+drunkard&URL=0500-0599/0562/Sections/0562.50.html

Twice the recipient of the FPCA Rocky Pomerance Law Enforcement Excellence Award

https://fpca.com/rocky-pomerance-law-enforcement-excellence-award/

Legislative efforts:

As a member of the FPCA Legislative Committee, Keith works with Association members and the legislature to revise existing laws or enact new ones to better protect and serve Floridians. Keith is responsible for initiating a revision to the false reporting of crime law that resulted in Florida’s “Swatting Law”

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/433732-bill-stiffening-swatting-penalties-hits-gov-desantis-desk/

Keith is actively working on revising other statutes to ensure Floridians are better served and constitutional rights are protected. 

Website: https://touchberryforsheriff.com/