Administration
Police Chief Michael J. Key Jr.
On August 1st, 2023 Chief Michael J. Key Jr. was selected to serve as the Chief of Police for the Neptune Beach Police Department.
Faith, family, community, integrity, and dedication to service are Chief Michael J. Key Jr’s core values.
Chief Key has 24 years of combined public service experience and has served the citizens of Neptune Beach for over 18 years while working for the Neptune Beach Police Department. Chief Key is a native Floridian, born and raised in Jacksonville, FL. Both his parents spent their careers in public service: his mother a teacher and father an engineer for JEA. He is a resident of Neptune Beach and loves calling this city his home.
Chief Key was fortunate to start his career in public service at a very young age. At sixteen, he became a junior volunteer firefighter with the St. Johns County Fire & Rescue Department. He has always highly valued those early beginnings as they forged important character traits which have never left him. At nineteen, Chief Key changed his career path and dedicated his life to the law enforcement profession. His father had to buy his first service gun and ammunition since he was under the age twenty-one. Starting from humble beginnings as a reserve officer, he worked his way through the ranks by shear dedication, commitment to a life of service, and integrity.
Chief Key started his career with the NBPD as a Police Officer working the nightshift. Later, he worked in numerous different positions including the DUI/Traffic Unit, Motor Officer, Field Training Officer, Adjunct Police Academy Instructor, Beaches SWAT Team Member & Leader, and Detective amongst other roles. He has held the rank of Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Commander where he had the privilege and honor to lead every division, unit, and role within the Police Department. In 2017, Chief Key graduated from Class #268 of the FBI National Academy, known as one of the premier law enforcement executive training programs in the world. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a concentration in Homeland Security and a Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice Education from the University of Virginia. He and his wife have three young children – all boys! He has dedicated his life to serving and protecting the citizens of Neptune Beach and has deep love and commitment to the community.
Police Commander Liam A. Toal
Operations Commander Liam Toal has served with the Neptune Beach Police Department since August of 2008, where he started his career in Law Enforcement as an auxiliary officer. In October of 2008, he was hired as a full-time officer and has served the City of Neptune Beach and the Beaches’ community proudly for the last fifteen years. In 2016, he was promoted to Patrol Sergeant where he maintained that role until 2023 when he transferred into the position of Criminal Investigations Division Sergeant. In January of 2024 he was promoted to Commander over both the Patrol Division and Criminal Investigations Divisions along with leading the agency in critical roles such as Training, Recruitment, and Internal Affairs. A couple of Commander Toal’s personal career highlights include becoming an agency Field Training Officer, a General Instructor with focus on high-liability topics, and a graduate of the Jacksonville Beach Police Department’s Basic SWAT school. Commander Toal served in an operational capacity for over eleven years with the Beaches SWAT Team, prior to abdicating his role in 2023.
Police Commander Gary M. Snyder
Commander Snyder is a Beaches Native, a U.S. Navy Veteran and has been a law enforcement officer for over forty years. Commander Snyder came to NBPD after having retired from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office in 2017, where he spent his career working in the Patrol Division, Homeland Security Division-Narcotics/Vice and on the Sheriff’s Staff. During Commander Snyder’s tenure at the NBPD, he has served as the Commander over Police Operations and most currently is assigned to the Police Services Division.