Captain David Watson joined the Palm Beach Police Department on December 9, 2013. He served in the Patrol Unit as a Patrol Officer, as an Officer on the Emergency Field Force Unit, ATV Operator, Field Training Officer, a Detective in the Criminal Investigations Unit, and as a Detective in the Special Investigations Unit before his promotion to Sergeant in 2019. As a Sergeant, he served in the Patrol Unit, as a Supervisor on the Emergency Field Force Unit, and oversaw the Special Investigations Unit within the Criminal Investigations Division until his promotion to Lieutenant in 2022. As a Lieutenant, he served as the Watch Commander for Patrol, oversaw the Criminal Investigations Division, and the Training and Community Relations Unit. He was appointed to the rank of Captain in December 2025.
Captain Watson has received 23 Level 1 Department commendations, two Level 2 Commendations, the Life Saving Award, has been designated the Department’s Officer of the Month three times, and was named Officer of the Year in 2020. He has served the Department as a member of the Awards Committee, the Town of Palm Beach Camera Committee, and on the Special Equipment Committee. Captain Watson currently oversees the Training and Community Relations Unit, Code Enforcement Unit, and the Department Budget.
Captain Watson holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Colorado Technical University (summa cum laude), and is a graduate of FBI-LEEDA’s Supervisor Institute and has received the FBI-LEEDA Trilogy Award.
