Palm Beach County breaks ground on new marine-unit facility to support coastal patrols and operations
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Summary
County and law-enforcement officials broke ground on a new 27,000-square-foot Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office marine unit complex billed to support 24/7 coastal patrols, with training, maintenance and docking facilities and an expected completion in 2025.
Palm Beach County officials held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) Marine Unit facility, which county leaders said will expand maintenance, storage and operational capacity for coastal patrols.
Commissioner Greg Weiss, serving as county mayor for the event, described the project as a 27,000-square-foot, single-story building on a 5.75-acre parcel that will include a fitness room, training room, evidence room, locker and shower facilities, and workspace. He said the site will provide 98 vehicle stalls and 22 boat-and-trailer stalls and is designed to serve District 1 and the marine unit’s mission across county waterways, Lake Okeechobee and the coast.
Captain Joel Rossi, special operations division commander representing the Marine Unit, said the marine shop will finally replace retrofitted, secondhand spaces with a purpose-built facility and named staff who helped design the shop. Captain Patrick Johnson (representing District 1) and other PBSO officials praised construction partners and expressed gratitude to county staff and contractors.
Why it matters: County leaders said the facility will bolster operational readiness for marine patrols that support migrant and narcotics interdictions and joint federal task-force work. PBSO representatives noted the unit’s 24/7 staffing and partnerships with federal agencies including the U.S. Coast Guard and Homeland Security Investigations.
Timeline and partners: Officials acknowledged the design and construction team (Kaufman Lynn Construction and others, plus architects and engineers named at the ceremony). Completion was described in remarks as anticipated in 2025; officials did not provide a construction contract value in the public remarks on the broadcast.
What’s next: County leaders proceeded to the ceremonial groundbreaking and thanked project staff. PBSO and county facilities personnel will manage permitting and construction oversight; further procurement or contract details were not presented during the ceremony.