Friends, family and fellow law enforcement were scheduled to gather Wednesday morning at St. Bernadette’s Catholic Church in St. Lucie West to remember Port St. Lucie Police Officer Steve Brown, who passed away in Indian River County last week.
Brown, 40, was found in his Indian River County home at 10:42 p.m. and taken to Cleveland Clinic Indian River (formerly Indian River Medical Center). According to a statement released by Port St. Lucie police, Brown “suffered a fatal heart attack after completing a third day of leading the Port St. Lucie Police Athletic League’s Police Camp. He was one of the camp leaders as part of his summertime duties as a School Resource Officer. The camp involved three days of strenuous outdoor activities including an obstacle course at the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum. Officer Brown collapsed after returning home at the end of his shift on June 12th.”
Brown was born Dec. 29, 1978, in Waterbury, Conn., to Deborah and Arthur Brown. He is survived by his wife, Maria, and children Nicholas and Isabella.
Brown joined the Port St. Lucie Police Department on April 9, 2004, and served in various positions. Such posts included School Resource Officer, Field Training Officer and Patrol Officer.
He was also the coordinator for the Florida Police and Fire Games, a member of the Treasure Coast Crisis Intervention Team, a gang investigator, an in-house human diversity instructor, and a Kids at Hope Treasure Hunter.
Brown had a soft spot for youth and focused much of his efforts to improving young lives. He was a phenomenal chef, the Port St. Lucie Police Department said, and regularly lent his culinary skills to the St. Lucie County Boys and Girls Club Chili Cook-off.