Douglas Goerke was born and raised in Long Island, New York, and is the son of a United States Navy Veteran. At the age of nine, he faced personal tragedy with the loss of his mother from a car accident and was compelled to become self-reliant as he grew older. Always having a desire to serve his community, at the age of eighteen, he joined the Medford Fire Department, volunteering for almost ten years as a firefighter and serving in several local ambulance companies as an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician. Continuing to serve the community, he also worked as a law enforcement officer in New York City and Patchogue Village.
He moved to Orlando, Florida, and was hired by Orlando Police Department in 2001. Throughout his fulfilling career, he has worked in almost every division in the agency. He has held commanding assignments in the Tactical Patrol Unit, Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, Intelligence Unit, Patrol Division, and the Professional Standards Division.
In November 2019, he was promoted to Deputy Chief of Police, overseeing the Administrative Services Bureau, which encompasses numerous divisions, including Professional Standards, Fiscal Management, Recruiting and Training, Communications, Record Management, and Property and Evidence. In addition to these duties, he is the Executive Co-Chair for the Orange Orlando Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI). This body is responsible for conducting critical infrastructure assessments and mitigating vulnerabilities to respond to critical incidents and prevent terror attacks.
For fourteen years, he had the distinguished honor of being a member Honor Guard and the Orlando SWAT Team, leaving both as the Deputy Team Commander when he was promoted. One of his collateral responsibilities on the SWAT team was to serve as a Tactical Paramedic. He has used these skills and knowledge to speak at countless law enforcement and emergency management conferences across the country and Canada. He has participated in numerous Joint Counterterrorism Workshops, sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security, helping jurisdictions prepare for terror attacks.
He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Session 277, the Mayor’s Executive Leadership Class, and has attended many leadership and command development courses. He is currently enrolled in the Major Cities Chiefs Association Police Executive Leadership Institute (PELI) program. In 2018, he was recognized by the Florida Police Chiefs Association as Outstanding Command Officer of the Year. He is a member of the FBI National Academy Associates, the Florida Police Chiefs Association, and the Central Florida Criminal Justice Association.
He attributes his success at the Orlando Police Department to his mentors within the agency, but most importantly, his wife, Jane, and daughter, Lauren. Their love and support have given him the fortitude to serve the community with distinction, pride, and honor.