ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — Detective Paul Taylor has spent 33 years in law enforcement but even now, he says the job still fuels his passion every day.
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“Law enforcement is in my blood. It’s everything,” Taylor said.
Taylor, a veteran with the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, is now being recognized for his work solving decades-old crimes. He’s been nominated for Detective of the Year at this year’s Law Enforcement Awards—a surprise he never expected.
“It was definitely unexpected,” Taylor said. “I had no idea it was happening. When I got the call and the email, I was pretty shocked.”
Taylor became the agency’s first full-time cold case homicide detective in 2020 and possibly the only one serving full-time on the Treasure Coast.
“I might be the only full-time cold case homicide detective on the Treasure Coast,” he said.
Since taking on that role, Taylor has helped close several cold cases, including some that had gone unsolved for more than 30 years. Many involved young victims, which Taylor said hit close to home.
“Probably anything to do with children or young adults,” he said. “I’ve got a couple that I’ve been able to close that had ties with children and things like that.”
Taylor draws from personal experience in his work. He lost his only child years ago— a tragedy that shapes the way he interacts with grieving families.
“I actually lost my only child,” he said. “So I can empathize and sympathize with the parents who’ve lost children.”
Now, as he’s recognized among his peers for decades of work, Taylor said he’s proud of what law enforcement has allowed him to become.
“In law enforcement, you can be whatever you want to be,” he said.
If selected as Detective of the Year, Taylor said it would be a career milestone but for him, solving cases and helping families find peace will always be the greatest reward.
