  We have investigated the spontaneous polarization in Fe$_3$O$_4$ thin films
by using dynamic and static pyroelectric measurements. The magnetic and
dielectric behavior of Fe$_3$O$_4$ thin films grown on Nb:SrTiO$_3$(001)
substrates was consistent with bulk crystals. The well-known metal-insulator
(Verwey) transition was observed at 120 K. The appearance of a pyroelectric
response in the Fe$_3$O$_4$ thin films just below the Verwey temperature shows
that spontaneous polarization appeared in Fe$_3$O$_4$ at the charge ordering
transition temperature. The polar state characteristics are consistent with
bond- and site- centered charge ordering of Fe$^{2+}$ and Fe$^{3+}$ ions
sharing the octahedral $B$ sites. The pyroelectric response in Fe$_3$O$_4$ thin
films was dependent on the dielectric constant. Quasi-static pyroelectric
measurement of Pd/Fe$_3$O$_4$/Nb:SrTiO$_3$ junctions showed that magnetite has
a very large pyroelectric coefficient of 735 nC/cm$^{2}$K at 60 K.
