Dwight Collins CPE

Dwight E. Collins

Director, Public Safety & Security,

Jacksonville Port Authority

Dwight Collins, Captain, U.S. Coast Guard (Retired), CPE, is a native of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and a 1992 graduate of Pennsylvania State University. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration awarded by Webster University in 2002.

He was named Director, Public Safety & Security, Jaxport in October, 2020 and directs all law enforcement, physical security, safety, and emergency management and preparedness services in support of more than 200,000 port employees, tenants, and customers. He is also responsible for ensuring enforcement of seaport security initiatives in compliance with all federal, state, and local laws.

He is a 27-year veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, with extensive maritime transportation security experience leading maritime counter-terrorism, search & rescue, law enforcement, and incident management at some of the nation’s largest seaports.

As Commanding Officer of Maritime Security Response Team West (MSRTW), he led one of only two maritime counter-terrorism teams in the USCG, consisting of Direct Action Sections, Tactical Delivery Boat Teams, Canine Explosive Detection Teams, and all operational divers in the USCG at three Regional Dive Lockers (San Diego, CA, Honolulu, HI and Portsmouth, VA). Under his leadership and vision, the unit transitioned from a Maritime Safety & Security Team, tripled in size and capability, and was renamed MSRTW on November 1, 2017. MSRTW achieved Initial Operating Capability on February 2, 2018, a year ahead of schedule.

Captain Collins’ other operational assignments include: Chief of Response, Sector New York; Commanding Officer, Maritime Safety & Security Team (91103), Los Angeles/Long Beach; Deputy Group Commander/Base Executive Officer, Group Fort Macon, Atlantic Beach, North Carolina; Officer- In-Charge Tactical Law Enforcement Team South (TACLET), Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) 7-Kilo, Mayport, Florida, and Operations Department, Law Enforcement Division duty at Group Miami, Miami Beach, Florida.

Staff assignments include: Deputy Chief of Operations for Current Operations, Shore Forces and Deployable Specialized Forces for Pacific Area, the Coast Guard’s regional command element and force provider for maritime safety, security, and stewardship in the Pacific; Chief, Intelligence Operations Division (J23), Joint Interagency Task Force West (JIATFW), Camp Smith, Hawaii, where he provided timely, tactical intelligence to U.S. and partner nation law enforcement agencies; Branch Chief, Future Operations (DG35), Deployable Operations Group, Arlington, Virginia where he was responsible for the world-wide deployment of the Coast Guard’s 27 Deployable Specialized Forces (DSF) units and was the Project Officer that created the Coast Guard East and West Coast Regional Dive Lockers; Command Duty Officer, Tactical Action Officer and Air Bridge Denial Duty Officer in the Joint Intelligence & Operations Center (JIOC) at Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATFS), Key West, Florida where he conducted counter narcotics detection & monitoring operations and handed off targets for interdiction & arrest by U.S. Coast Guard and partner nation law enforcement assets; and Intelligence Watch Officer at C3I Center East, Miami, Florida, a joint U.S. Coast Guard/U.S. Customs command tasked with intercepting illicit smuggling aircraft entering U.S. airspace.

Captain Collins’ personal awards include two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, four Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medals, four Coast Guard Commendation Medals; the Coast Guard Achievement Medal, the Outstanding Military Volunteer Service Medal and multiple service and unit awards. He has earned the Tactical Law Enforcement and Advanced Boat Forces Operations insignias.