Melanie Bevan became the Chief of the Bradenton Police Department in 2016 and has over 34 years of law enforcement experience. The department has a combined sworn and civilian strength of 180 personnel, serving a community of approximately 63,000 citizens.
Chief Bevan holds her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, a Master’s degree in Public Administration, and her Doctor of Education degree in Organizational Leadership. She is an adjunct professor in the Homeland Security Program for the State College of Florida.
Chief Bevan is a member of the International Leadership Association “for those who practice, study and teach leadership” and serves on the Executive Board as the Secretary/Treasurer for the Florida Police Chiefs Association. She has been involved as a Mentor for Take Stock in Children of Pinellas/Manatee for 18 years. Chief Bevan was the recipient of the 2018 Women’s Resource Center’s Manatee Wonder Woman Award. She was appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to the Criminal Punishment Code Force in 2019, and to the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission in 2020 to a four-year term.
Bradenton Police Department
Phone: (941) 932-9357