Sergeant Jewel Wigfall

The Boca Raton Airport is proud to spotlight one of its tenants, Sergeant Jewel Wigfall of the Florida Highway Patrol.

Sgt. Wigfall is the first and only African American member of the Florida Highway Patrol Aviation Unit. His mission is to patrol the highways from the sky.

Sgt. Wigfall joined the Florida Highway Patrol in October of 1995, and in March of 1996, he began patrolling the roadways in Palm Beach County. He was also a DUI Task Force member, Mobile Field Force Instructor, Tactical Response Team Member, Troop Honor Guard Member and Assistant Public Information Officer.

Sgt. Wigfall always aspired to become a member of the Florida Highway Patrol Aviation Unit, so in 2000 he started working towards that goal and began taking private flight lessons. He is now rated as an Airline Transport Pilot, has just under 4000 flight hours with SIC Type Ratings in a Dassault Falcon 900 Jet, G550 (Gulfstream) and Beechcraft Premier I Jet.

In 2010 he was promoted to Sergeant as a member of the Florida Highway Patrol Aviation Unit and is assigned to Troup L, covering six counties.

This promotion created a bit of history within the Florida Highway Patrol. Sgt. Wigfall would be the FIRST and the ONLY African American Pilot in the Florida Highway Patrol history.

He currently is the only operator of a fixed-wing Skylane Cesena 182RG aircraft located at the Boca Raton Airport. In addition to speed enforcement, he is also responsible for advanced enforcement of drug trafficking, stolen vehicle recovery, search and rescue and surveillance flights. Additionally, he assists with Executive Transport when needed, flying a Twin-Engine Piper Navajo.

In recognition of his many contributions to the policing profession, Sgt. Wigfall has been awarded the Palm Beach Distinguished Law Officer of the Year, Distinguished Service Award for Heroism, and Law enforcement Commendation Medal from the Sons of the American Revolution.

The Boca Raton Airport thanks Sgt. Wigfall for his dedication and service to the State of Florida. We are proud and honored to have him at the Boca Raton Airport.