
Chief Nelson Moya will officially be sworn in as head of the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) on Thursday, ceremonially handing over the reins he’s held since March as interim and September as permanent chief.
He’s lived in Gainesville since July 2023 after accepting a post as assistant police chief. In contrast, GPD’s two former chiefs resided in the city for decades. But Moya has experience as police chief and the confidence of City Manager Cynthia Curry, who oversees the department for the City Commission.
In September, Curry announced Moya would become the permanent chief. The decision came after a nationwide search that produced 45 applicants, with seven reviewed by Curry for consideration.
Speaking with media, Moya said at the time that he was excited to take the role, noting that the chief position sets the tone and establishes how the department evolves.
“I want an organization that is deeply tied into our community,” Moya said. “I want there to be synergy between the citizens, our neighbors, and the organization. I want the employees to feel valued and loved so that they can translate that feeling of worth into how they apply public safety in this community.”
In a Mainstreet interview, Curry said she wants Moya to focus on internal cohesion in GPD and also to boost the community policing approach Gainesville has used for decades.
Curry forced former Chief Lonnie Scott out of the post in February, citing the need for a new direction. She said the city had hired consultants to conduct interviews and surveys within GPD, and staff reached out to her for meetings as well.
She described a depression hanging over the work at the department and feelings of unappreciation.
“For at least the last three years, and I’ll put that on my tenure, there has been some internal turmoil and morale issues in the police department, and I am looking for that to be improved—much improved,” Curry said.
GPD has been under a microscope for several incidents in the past years, namely a SWAT raid of a realtor office and a K9 apprehension that ended with a suspect losing an eye. The K9 arrest prompted wide concern and forced inspection of the entire K9 unit—prompting internal investigations and the sidelining of the unit.
The department has also had staffing issues, similar to those faced in agencies across the region and country following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Curry called Moya an introspective and insightful person. She said his presence has already improved the internal tone. She said he wants to be a sounding board for employees while also stepping up to make the decisions needed to move GPD forward.
“I’m looking forward for that to continue to grow out and just kind of sweep the department up in that new leadership and that new tone,” Curry said.
Alongside new leadership, the city also allocated additional pay for officers. In August, the City Commission approved a recommendation to raise starting salaries to $60,000, a nearly $10,000 increase. The wage, Curry said, makes GPD competitive in the region.
As of October, GPD had hired 25 new officers this year—above the total for 2023 and 2022 respectively. The department still had 46 sworn position vacancies, a 16% vacancy rate, and plans to hire at least five additional officers this year.
“[The salary increase] actually did help to boost morale and hopefully making our officers feel more valued in terms of the work, the risk and the sacrifices that they make to do their job well,” Curry said.
Looking externally, she said the department needs to refresh its emphasis on community policing and make sure employees embrace the model. Community policing requires GPD to know every nook and cranny of the city, Curry said. It’s about enforcement but also relationships and people.
Two weeks ago, GPD officers entered a church on a Sunday to arrest a man suspected of stealing from a nearby Dollar General. The man, Anthony Lee Gainey Jr., had already been tased before he got up and ran.
The incident and video from parishioners made it to social media and prompted a press release from the city.
Curry said it’s an unfortunate incident all the way around. The fact that Gainey had mental health issues, that he was known to members of the church and that it was a Sunday morning with service underway.
Into that situation, Curry said, come GPD officers who have to react in split seconds and don’t know that background. She said she’s reviewed the videos and GPD body cameras and doesn’t think officers acted outside their policies. Moya is continuing to handle the situation internally.
But outside the official review, Curry said there’s space for community policing, looking at the human impact and feelings of the church members. She went to the church with Moya right after the incident to speak with the pastor and members.
“I believe that Chief Moya is doing the right thing, and you’ll probably hear more about that from him in the very near term,” Curry said.
Moya will also be responsible for the department’s gun violence response—an emphasis of the city. In September, Moya said he anticipates complementing and adding to the variety of efforts already underway through Gainesville Fire Rescue, GNV Impact within the general government offices and a partnership with Alachua County and Santa Fe College.
Mayor Harvey Ward said he believes the city is on the right track. After years of work, he points to more than six months without a gun homicide. In February, he said Scott had been a valuable member of city staff but also supported Curry’s decision to find a new leader for GPD.
He said Moya is a good chief to guide the department through the gun violence response as well as other top priorities: pedestrian safety and homelessness.
“Certainly, I hope that he’ll be chief for a long time and that we will get tremendous results,” Ward said in an interview. “But I believe that the department respects him, and I believe he works well with the city manager, and he’s showing results.”
As city manager, Curry oversees the largest departments in Gainesville. Police, fire, budget, parks and public works all fall under her purview. She can’t get into the nitty gritty of issues unless necessary.
Curry said she needs leaders in each space that she can trust to do the work, and Moya is one of them. She said he’s passionate and cares for the community, carrying the work on his shoulders.
“I’ve done what I believe I need to do to provide that leadership at the top for GPD, and Chief Moya and I meet almost every other week without fail, face-to-face if not by phone.”