- March 9, 2025
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Cmdr. David O’Brien announced his retirement Friday morning, just two days after he was publicly forced to make a decision: retire or be fired.
O’Brien, who has been with the Sheriff’s Office for 29 years, was placed on administrative leave Wednesday after a performance review conducted by Undersheriff Rick Staly stated O’Brien “lacked leadership” and his performance was “unsatisfactory.”
“(This decision) is not based on personality or politics — it’s performance,” Manfre said Thursday morning.
O’Brien, 49, was the third-highest-ranking person in the agency.
“It’s been an honor to serve and protect the people of Flagler County for the last 29 years,” O’Brien said late Wednesday night. “I look forward to the next chapter in my career.”
About one year ago, O’Brien was promoted to second in command under then Sheriff Donald Fleming.
“I have served under four sheriffs and understand that those that are in my industry are always subject to the political arena,” O’Brien added. “I admire the people I have worked with for 29 years, and I have formed some great relationships.”
O’Brien’s retirement was effective as of March 8. In a letter to Manfre, O’Brien wrote: “I wish nothing but success for this agency moving forward and in the future.”
Manfre, however, said Friday that it wasn’t supposed to happen the way it did. Instead, it was to be “as quiet as possible,” and O’Brien would have the option to retire, Manfre added.
Instead, a leak inside the agency tipped off media, and the news broke.
“I was unhappy how this information got to the public,” Manfre said. “When you’re in a public agency with 265 employees, people do things for different reasons. It’s unfortunate for whoever did leak this information. I think it did himself a disservice, as well as the Sheriff’s Office and David O’Brien.”
Despite the situation — and the negative performance review — Manfre said he would support O’Brien should he choose to stay in law enforcement.
“I understand that David wants to go on and work in law enforcement and, as I’ve told him, I’d certainly support him in those endeavors. Things didn’t work out here. We both need to move on, and David knows that I will support him in any of his future endeavors.”
