- October 30, 2024
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By: Brittany Kershaw
Public Affairs Manager, Flagler County Sheriff's Office
The Northeast Florida Regional Council named the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office the winner of the Northeast Florida Regional Leadership Award for Excellence in Public Safety. Sheriff Rick Staly accepted the award on behalf of FCSO at the Northeast Florida Regional Awards luncheon on Dec. 5 in Jacksonville.
The FCSO was nominated for the award by Flagler County Administrator Jerry Cameron for "making Flagler County’s streets and community safer" using cutting-edge technology. The nomination highlighted the use of Rapid-ID, a secure digital fingerprint capture device that, along with software, runs the unknown individual’s fingerprints against the state and federal database of prior arrests and
those with outstanding warrants. If a warrant exists, the name and pertinent information is displayed to the deputy in the field or the individual’s real name is provided.
It also highlighted the use of automated license plate reader technology throughout key locations in Flagler County. The Sheriff’s Office is able to add license plate information to the system to assist with the location of persons of interest, as well as silver alerts. Deputies have located criminals who have been on the run for years, bringing them to justice. ALPR technology has directly led to a 212% increase in the recovery of stolen vehicles in 2019 and the apprehension of the suspects and missing individuals.
FCSO is also implementing a real-time crime center, as well as substantial upgrades to the FCSO computer-aided dispatch and records management system. This will allow immediate access to cameras from the county, School Board and municipalities in active emergencies, but will also allow Real Time Crime Center staff to quickly analyze available data.
Finally, the FCSO is installing vehicle-based camera systems in some patrol vehicles. This system integrates the existing body cameras deputies are currently issued, and provides better information leading to stronger arrests and citations, as well as enhanced investigations. The costs for these innovations is about $500,000 and was phased-in during the last two years.
“Our team does a great job and the technology we have implemented simply aid in their efforts to protect our citizens and the Flagler County community," Staly said. "I was honored to accept this award on behalf of the hard working and dedicated men and women of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office."
The NEFRC is an independent, regional government agency serving Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Putnam, Nassau and St. Johns counties. It provides a regional perspective toward growth management, economic development, emergency preparedness, resiliency and community development to enhance the quality of life of Northeast Florida residents. For more information, visit www.nefrc.org.
