Joel Grant was born in Jacksonville, FL. After graduating high school, he attended Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, FL and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. Upon completion of college, he applied to an officer’s position with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. His criminal justice career began in 2001 after being hired by the commission and attending the commission’s basic recruit academy in Tallahassee for six months. After graduating from the FWC academy, his first duty assignment was Vero Beach, FL where he served as a marine patrol officer for two years. He then transferred to St. Augustine, FL where he served FWC in the same capacity for an additional two and half years. In 2005, he was hired by the Orange Park Police Department where he served as a patrol officer for approximately three years. He was then promoted to patrol corporal and served in that capacity from 2008 to 2013. In 2013 he was promoted to the rank of patrol sergeant and served in that position until 2025, before being promoted to lieutenant.
His interest in law enforcement training began in 2002 when he attended Field Training Officer. From there, he decided to focus on law enforcement training and obtained multiple high-liability training certificates as an instructor.
In 2024, he began pursuing a graduate certificate at the University of Central Florida in Police Leadership. With over 24 years of law enforcement experience, Joel currently serves our agency as the administrative lieutenant, supervising the detective division, property and evidence, school resource officers and crossing guards.