Chief Rex Troche was appointed Chief of Police for the Sarasota Police Department in April 2022.  He leads a department of 190 sworn law enforcement officers and 61 civilian support personnel.  Chief Troche promotes community policing initiatives and works in partnership with the community to build trust, transparency, and lasting relationships.

Chief Troche was born and raised in Chicago, IL.  Following his fathers’ retirement from the Chicago Police Department after 24 years of service, his family moved to St. Petersburg, Florida when he was in high school.  He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of South Florida and a Master of Science degree in Emergency and Disaster Management from Saint Leo University.

Chief Troche began his law enforcement career with the Largo Police Department in 1997 and joined the Sarasota Police Department in 2002.  During his tenure, he has been assigned to all four divisions within the agency (Patrol, Professional Standards, Criminal Investigations, and Support Services) as either an Officer or Supervisor.  He was promoted to the ranks of Sergeant in 2013, Lieutenant in 2017, Captain in 2020, and was appointed Deputy Chief in 2021.

Throughout his career, Chief Troche has continued to further his law enforcement training and education.  He attended and graduated from the 70th Session of the Southern Police Institute’s Command Officer Development Course, the International Association of Chiefs of Police Leadership in Police Organizations, and the 78th Session of Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police.

Chief Troche is a member of the Florida Police Chiefs Association (FPCA), Hispanic American Police Commanders Officers Association (HAPCOA), International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).

Chief Troche has been married to his wife Kelly for over 23 years and they have three daughters.