TAVARES, Florida—There will be a new police chief in town Aug. 31.
Tavares Police Lt. Sarah Coursey has been appointed as the new chief by City Administrator John Drury and will succeed current Chief Stoney Lubins when he retires Aug. 31 after 30 years at TPD and 21 years as chief.
“Over the past 21 years, under the leadership of Chief Lubins, TPD has continued to aggressively fight crime, innovate with new technology, and further increase transparency with our community,” Drury said in a press release. “It’s been an honor to work together with Chief Lubins to protect and serve our citizens throughout his tenure with the Tavares Police Department.”
Coursey will be the city’s 23rd chief and its first female chief. Coursey will also be the only female chief in Lake County.
“I am confident that under Chief Coursey’s leadership, the Tavares Police Department will continue protecting our community against crime while providing respect and protection equally for all residents,” said Tavares City Administrator John Drury. “Coursey is well respected by officers and the community and is the right person to lead the department forward.
Coursey is a native of Tavares, and attended Tavares Elementary, Tavares Middle and Tavares High. She has a Master of Science in Criminal Justice and is a recent graduate of Leadership Lake. She has been an officer with TPD for 13 years and currently serves as the commander of the road patrol division, the department’s largest division.
Coursey is also active in the community, and spearheaded Operation Aware, a program designed to help with interacting with the special needs community. Earlier this week, Coursey spent time at a local nursing home with Officer Courtney Bannick, beautifying the ladies who live there.
Coursey has a daughter and is engaged to be married in 2023.
