Achievements
During the past few years, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has made positive strides forward in a number of key areas. Here are a number of accomplishments made possible by the work of our dedicated team and through community partnerships, such as our Addressing Crime Together (ACT) public forums and annual Safety Expos.
A 47% REDUCTION in Crime – Since Sheriff Staly took office in 2017 – The lowest crime rate in 25 years!
These reductions have been accomplished through:
- Dedicated, focused efforts by our uniformed and plain clothes deputies on patrol, investigations, detention and our professional support staff.
- Implemented CRIMEMAPS – intelligence-led policing and improved intelligence sharing within FCSO and surrounding agencies.
- Continued follow-up on Juvenile Probationers who may be committing crimes.
- Conducting Court Ordered curfew enforcement checks.
- Providing structure to juveniles through the Sheriff’s S.W.E.A.T. program
- Making immediate contact with State prison releases – “Welcoming” them back to the community — Letting them know we know they are back in the community and we want them to be successful, but we are also watching them.
- Implemented Rapid ID technology to successfully identify criminals who give a false name to law enforcement.
- Implemented modern technology such as Automated License Plate Reader technology and a Real Time Crime Center to quickly apprehend criminal offenders.
- Implemented Intelligence Unit.
- Implemented Problem Area Crime Enforcement (PACE) Unit.
- Implemented Homeland Security Section.
- Fugitive Friday Bingo – resulting in a 55% apprehension rate with fugitives featured on FFB has resulted in almost 3 times more fugitives from justice being caught.
Domestic Violence Initiative Resulting in a -7% reduction in Domestic Violence
- In 2018 the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office received Agency of The Year for its Domestic Violence Initiatives during National Crime Victims Rights Week.
- Part of Sheriff Staly’s domestic violence initiative focused on implementation of an ankle Monitoring GPS system designed to equip court-ordered domestic violence offenders with GPS tracking devices. The program is designed to empower and improve the safety of domestic violence victims by establishing designated exclusionary zones where an offender may not lawfully enter.
- Defendants are required to PAY ALL COSTS associated with monitoring – approximately $5.25 per day.
Dealing with the Opioid Epidemic – Narcan Deployments
- In November 2017 in response to the opiod epidemic Sheriff Staly issued Narcan to all deputies at no cost to the taxpayer. Since being placed in the field, Narcan has been deployed 75 times and saved 68 lives.
Traffic Safety
- FCSO partnered with the City of Palm Coast in 2018 to create a dedicated traffic unit.
- Action taken by this Unit, coupled with traffic related PSAs produced by the agency’s Public Affairs Office, have helped to raise public awareness on the dangers of speeding, DUI and aggressive driving.
- As a result, traffic fatalities were reduced -67% in Flagler County since 2017.
Citizen Support
- In 2018, our volunteers provided a total of 38,790 hours of service to Flagler County.
- Sheriff Staly implemented the use of hybrid patrol cars for the Citizens on Patrol Unit saving taxpayers money and reducing emissions.
- The total value for all volunteer services for 2019 was $870,692.85
Implemented an Inmate Work Program
- The inmate work crew program uses low-risk inmate labor to improve public grounds and buildings. Using inmate labor saved $95,000 tax dollars in 2019. During hurricanes Irma and Dorian Inmate Work Crews filled sand bags to assist citizens in protecting their homes.
Saving Taxpayers $$$
- The Sheriff’s Office has been awarded over $1,000,000 in grants since 2017. Sheriff Staly believes in bringing federal and state tax dollars back to Flagler County to reduce the burden on local taxpayers for law enforcement.
School Resource Deputies Assigned to all Public Schools & Implemented a “Law & Justice” Flagship Program at Matanzas High School
- Expanded the School Resource Deputy to every Flagler County Public School providing on-site security, mentoring and instruction to students at each public school campus in the county.
- Implemented the Matanzas High School Law and Justice Flagship program which is comprised of classes designed to educate students about the criminal justice system and possible careers.
Flagler Sheriff’s Police Athletic League – PAL- Setting Kids on the Right Path
- Flagler Sheriff’s PAL provides a variety of fun and educational programs to over 1,000 children throughout Flagler County.
Community Outreach
- Community Outreach taught Incident Survival Training to over 2,676 students and educators and provided 27 additional Active Assailant Training Presentations to various church and community groups, county and city employees, Judges and courthouse staff. Sheriff Staly believes a prepared community is a safe community.
- Community Outreach conducted 13 Women’s Self Defense classes providing instruction to 226 women on how to avoid becoming a victim and how to best defend themselves in the event they were to be attacked resulting in over 2,500 women trained in self-defense since its inception.
- Community Outreach conducted Coffee With a Cop, the Sheriff’s Citizens Academy, 48 Neighborhood Watch meetings, 10 Senior Safety and 9 Realtor Safety programs throughout the community.
- Sheriff Staly started the Community Safety Expo, which is an annual event to interact with the community, the Sheriff’s Office and our community partners with static and interactive displays.
In 2018, under Sheriff Staly’s leadership, the FCSO became a 4 Diamond Accredited Law Enforcement Agency after the Detention Facility was accredited for the first time in its 100 year history making it the 34th jail in Florida to be accredited.
- Law Enforcement Accreditation
- Corrections Accreditation
- Communications Accreditation
- National Institute of Ethics
Citizen Feedback
In a 2018 survey, 82% of Palm Coast residents said they felt safe in their neighborhood and 82% said they felt that the Sheriff’s Office was doing an excellent or good job.
Acting to Reduce Crime
THE RESULTS: While population is increasing, crime is decreasing, and quality of life is increasing.
