Longtime law enforcement officer Erik Luce was officially sworn in as Fruitland Park’s police chief by Mayor Chris Cheshire on Thursday night during the City Commission’s regularly scheduled meeting.
The new chief received a standing ovation from family members, friends and law enforcement colleagues from several agencies, including the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Eustis Police Department and the Florida Highway Patrol.
Luce thanked each commissioner and City Manager Gary La Venia for their support. And he introduced his family members who were in the audience, which included 25-year-old daughter Marah; 20-year-old son Cooper; mother Sally, a retired church secretary; father Doug, a retired battalion chief who served 35 years as a firefighter; older brother Todd, a Lake County Sheriff’s captain who held the Bible during the swearing-in ceremony; sister Gina Farr, of Sanford; and his nephew, Sam, a recent graduate of the Seminole State Criminal Justice Academy.
Luce became chief on April 1 after serving for about six months as the department’s interim leader. He had been placed in that role after former Chief Michael Fewless was forced to temporarily step down because of an issue with the Florida Retirement System (FRS). The commission officially parted ways with Fewless in October and Luce had been serving as the interim chief ever since.
On Thursday night, Luce pledged that his department will do its best to serve every resident and business in Fruitland Park. He promised that tax dollars funding the police department would be used “wisely and necessarily.” And he invited everyone to join with him and his officers in maintaining the community that’s home to more 8,000 residents.
“Fruitland Park is a beautiful community and your police department is committed to keeping it that way,” he said. “Our desire is for all families of Fruitland Park to feel safe in their homes and our kids feel safe to play in their yards and parks.”
Prior to joining the Fruitland Park Police Department in November 2012, Luce spent 11 years with the Eustis Police Department, where he served as a sergeant in the criminal investigations unit. He also worked for Wal-Mart as a manager in asset protection. But he knew deep down that police work was his passion, so when the opportunity came to join the Fruitland Park Police Department as a reserve officer, he jumped at it.
Two months later, he took a permanent position in road patrol, and from there worked his way up through the ranks. He opened the investigations division at the Moyer Recreation Center Annex in The Villages in October 2016 when serving as a detective, then moved up to lieutenant and captain to serve as the second in command of the department.
On Thursday during a reception at City Hall in Luce’s honor, he became choked up when explaining what it meant to have his family members and law enforcement officers from his own and several other departments in the audience.
“It means the world,” he said quietly.
Luce’s brother, Todd, also choked up when talking about seeing his younger sibling succeeding in the world of law enforcement at such a high level.
“I’m very proud,” he said. “That commitment that he gave to the citizens is from the heart and he meant every bit of it.”
Todd Luce said he also was thrilled to hold the Bible during the swearing-in ceremony.
“He asked me earlier and I was very honored to even be considered to do that for him,” he said. “It was a highlight.”
