Employee Spotlight

Mark Harper is a Lieutenant for the Cocoa Fire Department. He has been a member of #TeamCocoa for five years. He has also served as a Firefighter/ EMT and Firefighter/Medic with the City of Cocoa. As a Lieutenant, Mark manages an engine company through daily operations at the fire station and fire and EMS scenes. He oversees daily tasks such as station cleaning, vehicle and equipment checks, pre-fire plans, and physical fitness. He also conducts training drills for fire and EMS and ensures that his engine company is prepared and equipped to respond to and handle emergency calls. 

He says his favorite part of the job is "helping the citizens of Cocoa. It is also a great privilege and honor to be able to lead and provide mentorship to the firefighters that I work with on a daily basis."

Mark is from Sarasota County, FL, and moved to Brevard County in 2015. He and his wife have two sons. He served in the United States Army, earning the rank of Sargent, before fire service. his hobbies include fishing, hunting, and being outdoors.

Jerome has been a member of #TeamCocoa for 38 years. In November 2019, He was awarded the City of Cocoa Scroll for being an active employee with the longest-standing work history to date with the City of Cocoa. He serves as a Senior Utility Field Service Representative for the City of Cocoa Finance Department. Field Service Supervisor Devan McCrory says Jerome has "a tremendous amount of institutional knowledge. He is the go-to guy to locate any meter in the distribution system".

His responsibilities include;  maintaining an accurate account of orders given to field employees, explaining departmental policy and pertinent rules and regulations, and rates and types of service. He also expedites requests for new services and verifies meter readings. Jerome says his favorite part of the job is "It is never boring, and each day presents different tasks."`

Jerome is originally from Alabama and moved to Brevard County in 1999. He is an avid sports fan and enjoys watching sports. His favorite sport is football, and he is a Dallas Cowboys fan.

Officer Bryan Baylis joined #teamCocoa in February 2021. He is originally from Pocomoke, Maryland. He earned a bachelor’s degree in sport management from Wingate University.

From 2004-2006, he played center field for the university’s baseball program.  He moved to Florida in 2009.  He spent twelve years working at the Kennedy Space Center as a member of the emergency response team. In 2019, Baylis graduated from the Criminal Justice Academy at Eastern Florida State College.  He is the oldest of two sons. He is married with two daughters.

Since joining CPD in 2021, Officer Baylis has become a field training officer and SWAT officer. He has demonstrated excellence in nearly every call for service he handles. In September 2022, Officer Baylis investigated a report involving an alleged armed kidnapping. The nature of the allegation warranted a thorough investigation in order to arrive at the correct conclusion. Officer Baylis followed all investigative leads including obtaining surveillance video that ultimately proved the alleged victim was not being truthful. Officer Baylis subsequently sought criminal charges against the alleged victim for making a false police report. The state’s attorney filed the charges based on the totality of Officer Baylis’ investigation.

 In October, Officer Baylis responded to a shots-fired call where he was able to identify a suspect, establish probable cause and make an arrest for attempted murder. The charges were later filed by the state’s attorney. Another investigation into a theft complaint involving approximately $30,000 worth of jewelry led Officer Baylis to several pawn shops where he was able to recover some of the stolen jewelry. Officer Baylis was able to obtain an arrest warrant for a female suspect who was later charged with this crime. 

 In November, Officer Baylis was among the first officers on the scene of a vehicle accident in which the driver had a medical episode and ended up crashing into the river. There were two occupants in the vehicle. As soon as Officer Baylis arrived, he entered the water and swam a good distance to where the vehicle was partially submerged. The two occupants of the vehicle managed to exit prior to the officer's arrival. Officer Baylis went above and beyond to enter the water to make sure everyone was safe.

 Whether it’s doing the legwork to resolve a case, or rushing to rescue a person in distress, Officer Baylis, is dedicated to finding answers. His work ethic is admirable, and deserving of recognition.