Retired Chief Javaro Sims was born in the City of Boynton Beach, Florida. Chief Sims is married to Karen Sims; they have one daughter, Kisten Sims Hilton, and a grandson, Kace Sims Hilton. Chief Sims played professional football in the CFL and qualified for the Olympic trials in 1980 and 1984. He was also inducted into the Florida A&M University Sports Hall of Fame in 2022. Chief Sims worked as a schoolteacher for four years.

Chief Sims began his law enforcement career in 1992 with the Delray Beach Police Department. Chief Sims was promoted to sergeant in 1997, promoted to lieutenant in 2003, promoted to captain in 2010, promoted to assistant chief in 2014, and appointed to chief of police in 2018, becoming the first African American chief in the department’s history. Sims worked in several divisions to include Community Patrol, Community Policing, Investigations, Narcotics, School Resource Officer, Special Service, Special Operations, and Walking Beat. Chief Sims graduated from Lake Worth High School, received his BS degree from Florida A&M University, and his master’s degree from Lynn University.

During Chief Sims’ law enforcement career, he had the privilege of graduating from the FBI National Academy, 255th session, University of Virginia, Senior Management Institute for Police Executives at Harvard University, The Southern Police Institute, University of Louisville, Future Law Enforcement Executive, Future Police Chief Seminar, Leadership for the Law Enforcement Executive, and Criminal Justice Executive Institute Associates. Chief Sims professional affiliations are FBI National Academy Association, Florida Police Chief (district 13 director), Palm Beach County Association of Chiefs of Police (president 2021 & 2022), National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, Police Executive Research Forum, Palm Beach County Homeless Coalition Board, Palm Beach County Heroin Task Force, Palm Beach County Substance Awareness Coalition, Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission, AVDA Board of Directors, Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission Court System Task Force, Palm Beach County School & Community Safety Initiative Behavioral Health Task Force, Domestic Violence Coordinated Community Response Core Planning Team and Palm Beach County, Law Enforcement Planning Council (chair 2022).

Chief Sims received over one hundred awards and recognitions during his law enforcement career to include the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joseph R. Biden. Chief Sims lives by the words that his mother instilled in him: “Be the author of your own book of life”.