Even though one law calls for zero tolerance regarding threats on campus, another requires local districts to use a “threat assessment tool” that opposes zero tolerance and applies more careful, less drastic responses to students or anyone making threats.
Flagler County Sheriff
Sheriff’s Investigation Found Charges Against Deputy Who Punched Disabled Inmate Not Warranted
Though responding corrections deputies were uncomfortable with Jared Tazewell’s punching a disabled and mentally incompetent inmate, a criminal investigation stopped short of charging him, but recommended charges against the inmate, documents show.
Flagler Deputy Resigns, Without Charges, After Accusation of ‘Excessive Force’ On Older, Mentally Ill Inmate
Jared Tazewell, 34, was a detention deputy at the Flagler County jail for three years. He allegedly punched 54-year-old Mark Duncanson after Duncanson threw his walker at him. The sheriff’s office released no documentation Tuesday.
Sheriff’s Office Awarded $3,000 to Continue Domestic Violence Initiative as Numbers Improve
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded equipment totaling over $3,000 from the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence to assist in FCSO’s community initiative against domestic violence.
Sheriff Mike Chitwood Smears Our Judges
Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood’s call on Chief Judge Zambrano to “overturn” another judge’s ruling on a convicted sex offender’s bond shows contempt for and misunderstanding of the very laws Chitwood was sworn to uphold. He sets a noxious tone.
With No Chance of Appointment, Jim Manfre’s Pledge to Run for Judge in 2 Years Still Sways Nominating Commission’s Questions
Former Sheriff Jim Manfre’s candidacy for county judge was dead on arrival at interviews for the job Wednesday, but he still managed to influence the process by advocating for a Flagler choice.
Flagler Schools Quietly Dropped Controversial “Social Sentinel” Surveillance to Pilot More Targeted Alert System
The Flagler school district dropped the $18,000-a-year Social Sentinel surveillance system in April and replaced it with an entirely different approach, called CrisisGo, a crisis-management system accessible to faculty, staff and students.
Mother of Inmate Who Died After Illness at Flagler Jail Says Autopsy Vindicates Her Claims He Was Neglected
Anthony Fennick died of a stroke in February after being hospitalized from the Flagler jail, an autopsy report shows, with an allergic reaction to a medicine possibly playing a role his mother says points to neglect from the jail’s health providers.
Signs of the Times: Flagler Sheriff’s New Recruits and School Deputies Train to Take Down Mass Shooter
Twenty-six Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies, including all of its school resource deputies, trained through a mass-shooter scenario Thursday afternoon at a Korona church, part of what’s now standard training at the agency.
Sheriff’s National Night Out for Crime Prevention Tuesday Evening at FPC
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office will be hosting National Night Out at Flagler Palm Coast High School Tuesday, Aug. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m., in conjunction with school resuming six days later.
Sheriff’s Deputy Fired For Failing to Take Action With Wrong-Way Car That Ended in Fatal Crash, Is Ordered Reinstated
Robert Finn in his patrol car crossed paths with Wendell Parker going the wrong way on an I-95 exit ramp moments before Parker died in a head-on collision with another car. Finn was fired a year ago, but ordered reinstated this week.
On Notice at 11th Hour, Sheriff Staly and Clerk of Court Bexley Meet and Resolve Courthouse Space Impasse
After a wild day of hopeful negotiations, then a declared impasse, Sheriff Rick Staly and Clerk of Court Tom Bexley met and resolve the controversy over space for sheriff’s uses at the courthouse.
County Will Sue Clerk of Court Bexley as Courthouse Space Negotiations for Sheriff Fail ‘Over 200 Feet’
Flagler County government late Thursday started the process to sue Clerk of Court Tom Bexley as intense negotiations over space for the sheriff reached a final impasse over a mere 200 square feet of space in contention.
Critical Negotiations Over Courthouse Space for Sheriff Down to a Few Hundred Square Feet
Negotiations for a final settlement for the sheriff’s use of space at the county courthouse were down to a few hundred square feet Thursday, with a lot riding on a resolution.
Clerk of Court Bexley Offers 1,000 Extra Square Feet for Sheriff’s Uses, 4,000 Short of County’s Request
Clerk of Court’s “final offer” consists of 1,000 additional square feet of space for use by sheriff’s personnel at the courthouse, enlarging and segregating the zone used by the agency’s detectives.
Breakthrough In the Works as Court Clerk Bexley Proposes ‘Generous’ Plan for Sheriff’s Space at Courthouse
Clerk of Court Tom Bexley made a “Final offer” to the county, proposing new space at the courthouse for the sheriff’s office, potentially ending what had been heading for a legal confrontation between the clerk and the county, and resolving a serious space issue for the sheriff.
What Will Tom Bexley Do? Ultimatum Clock Stops as He Calls For Key Meeting on Courthouse Impasse Monday
In a sign of a possible breakthrough, Clerk of Court Tom Bexley called County Commission Chairman Donald O’Brien to set a Monday meeting and discuss the county’s ultimatum for a space study and more space for the sheriff at the courthouse.
Palm Coast Manager Challenges Sheriff’s ‘Nebulous’ Evidence In Request For More Cops
Palm Coast City Manager Matt Morton is challenging Sheriff Rick Staly’s request for six more deputies in palm Coast–a 20 percent cost increase–questioning the methodology of the request as lacking a basis of evidence.
City Council Unconvinced as it Hears Pitch For 6 Additional Deputies in Palm Coast
The Palm Coast City Council in 2017 had approved the addition of five new deputies, but this time it’s been more skeptical that more are needed as the city focuses on other priorities.
County Threatens to Sue Clerk of Court Bexley in 48 Hours Over Space Request for Sheriff at Courthouse
The county commission will sue Clerk of Court Tom Bexley in 48 hours of he does not agree to a space study at the courthouse, and to abide with the study’s results, in the commission’s latest effort to gain extra space for the sheriff.
Chief Judge Warns Against ‘Taking’ of Courthouse As Sheriff’s Picture in Murder Investigation Lobbies Commission on Space
Chief Judge Raul Zambrano issued a forcefully written, potentially game-changing letter on the sheriff occupying space at the Flagler courthouse even as the sheriff himself was lobbying the county commission with an illustration of constraints on his troops.
County Sends Ultimatum to Clerk of Court, Asking For Additional Space at Courthouse For Sheriff By July 31
The ultimatum was prompted by by County Commissioner Dave Sullivan, who pushed the administration to follow through on a county commission vote almost two months old to secure more space for the sheriff at the courthouse.
Out of Patience, Sheriff Demands County Action on Space Needs: ‘This Situation Cannot Continue’
The sheriff’s letter to the county commission chairman echoes the same urgency and call for action that the sheriff used just over a year ago to compel the county to provide a healthier space for employees than the troubled Operations Center.
Flagler County Crime Falls 20%, Steepest Drop in Decades and Almost 3 Times Larger Than Florida Average
Flagler County’s crime index in 2018 fell by 20.2 percent, by far the largest year-over-year drop in at least 18 years, and a decline almost three times the 7.4 percent drop in crime across Florida over the same period.
To Sue or Not to Sue: County Wrestles With Sheriff’s Space Needs at Courthouse
Despite a county commission vote ordering its administration to find more space for the sheriff at the county courthouse, the county administrator and the county attorney have demurred.
County Calms Bunnell’s Anger Over Sheriff’s Move to Palm Coast, Disarming Threats of Lawsuit
Sheriff Rick Staly’s and County Manager Jerry Cameron’s joint appearance before the Bunnell City Commission on Monday went a significant distance to disarm the city’s threats of a lawsuit and calm its anger over the sheriff’s move to Palm Coast.
It’s Déjà Vu All Over Again: Sheriff’s Palm Coast Precinct Will Return to Former Space On Old Kings Road
The space at 17 Old Kings Road is 2,000 square feet, or 1,000 square feet less than the space at City Marketplace. But it’s $3,500 a month.
County Orders Space Reallocation For Sheriff at Courthouse; ‘We’re Going to Stand Our Ground,’ Bexley Says
The County Commission acting as landlord is directing its administrator to come up with the necessary additional space for the sheriff at the courthouse, where Clerk Tom Bexley says it’s useless to try.
Sheriff’s Beachside Substation Is Renamed in Honor of Grady Prather Jr., Who Started Marine Unit
The late Capt. Grady Prather Jr. had launched the Flagler sheriff’s marine unit, which was disbanded after his retirement in 2008, but was revived last year. Prather died in 2009.
Sheriff’s Precinct on Utility Drive? Palm Coast Explores Bailing Out County’s Search for Space
City, county and sheriff’s officials spent Thursday exploring various buildings, among them Palm Coast’s Utility Department building off Old Kings Road, as potential sites for the sheriff’s Palm Coast precinct.
County’s Intention To Seek Damages Over Sears Building Fiasco Belies Cozy Relations With Broker in Run-Up to Sale
Flagler County today sent letters of intent to sue for damages to the parties involved in the purchase of the mold-infested Sears building, including the real estate broker the county had a very close relationship with for years.
An Inside Look at Sheriff’s Confidential Weekly ‘Crimemaps’ Strategy Planning With Command Staff
Every Wednesday, the sheriff and his command and other top staffers meet to map out the coming week’s crime-fighting focuses, analyzing trends, hot spots and raw intelligence. This week, reporters were invited to witness the session.
You Can’t Make This Stuff Up: County’s Just-Acquired Sears Building for Sheriff Has Water Intrusion and ‘Substantial Mold’
Flagler County officials discovered today the $1.1 million Sears building they just agreed to buy is plagued by water intrusion and “substantial mold,” just like the sheriff’s Operations Center in Bunnell.
A Memorial for Fallen Deputies Lifts Blue Lights In Shadow of Flagler Sheriff’s Catacomb
The doors to the Sherif’s Operations Center in Bunnell were kept locked Monday evening, and at times, as the crowd held its bluish candles aloft, it looked as if the building too was being memorialized.
Photographic Tour of Courthouse Illustrates Crunch and Tensions Between Sheriff and Clerk Staffs
Here’s the first detailed, photographic illustration of the space issues the sheriff, the clerk and county officials have been wrestling with over the past months at the county courthouse as the three sides try to reach an understanding on future space use.
Joe Mullins Wants Cities and the County to Draft Homeless ‘Legislation,’ But He’s ‘Out on a Limb’
Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins is pressing the county administrator to develop an ordinance regulating homeless panhandling and tent-pitching with city managers, but none of the local governments other than Bunnell have discussed such policies.
Faced With ‘Disgraceful’ Rent Increase at City Marketplace, Sheriff Will Move Palm Coast District Office to Old Sears Building
It’s only the latest example of the county’s largely self-inflicted and costly turmoil over land and building projects gone awry, going back to the Eden-gone-Hades of the old Memorial hospital and conversion into a sheriff’s operations center in 2013.
County Considers Nuclear Option: Forcing Clerk To Cede Space to Sheriff at Courthouse
With Clerk of Court Tom Bexley and Sheriff Rick Staly at an impasse over space needs at the courthouse, commissioners are raising the possibility that they will force Bexley to give ground.
As Bunnell and Flagler Fight Over Sheriff’s HQ, Nassau County’s Example May Point The Way
As Bunnell serves notice to Flagler County that it intends to go ahead with its challenge of the county’s decision to build a sheriff’s district office in Palm Coast, the county is opening its own possibility of extending the county seat to Palm Coast to get around any constitutional issues.
At Memorial For Curtis Gray, A March Against Violence, Appeals For Conflict Resolution, and ‘Dedication’
Palm Coast’s mayor, school administrators and coaches spoke to hundreds of students and others gathered Sunday in Central Park in memory of Curtis Gray, the Flagler Palm Coast High students shot dead on April 13.
Joe Mullins Walks Back $2 Million Deal to Keep Sheriff’s Ops in Bunnell, But Calls for End to Bunnell Police Department
County Commissioner Joe Mullins says he still supports a sheriff’s district office for Bunnell–but also wants the Bunnell Police Department merged with the sheriff’s office, because the city has only a “ceremonial” department.
Agreeing to New Contract for Deputies in Schools, Board and Sheriff Discuss 128 Baker Acts in 2 Years
The school board’s share includes almost $100,000 for nine school crossing guards. It does not include about $110,000 that Palm Coast contributes for the school resource deputy program.
Bunnell Condemns County’s Decision to Move Sheriff’s Building to Palm Coast, Threatening Lawsuit and Kindling Feud
The Bunnell City Commission approved an angry resolution against the county, instigating a feud that county officials say is misconstruing the county’s and sheriff’s intentions and missing the bigger picture.
Flagler Commission Will Build New, $12-15 Million Sheriff’s Operations Center by Palm Coast Library, Condemning ‘Mold Ops’
The Flagler County Commission this evening voted unanimously to build a new Flagler County Sheriff’s Operations Center–in Palm Coast, next to the county library on Palm Coast Parkway.
Between Batterers’ Classes and Ankle Monitors, A Few Strides Against Domestic Violence in Flagler
The latest update of the sheriff’s domestic violence task force pointed to a few gains but mostly through a more robust investigative and monitoring system, and the addition of anger management classes in Flagler.
In a First, FPC’s Bulldog Patrol Presents Safety Plan to Marjorie Stoneman Commission, Drawing Raves and Calls to Scale Statewide
A six-student team of problem solvers presented their student-centered safety plan to the state commission established after the Parkland school massacre, and were asked by several commission members to spread their plan statewide, including at the Broward school.
Flagler Commission Approves Pair of Buildings For Sheriff’s Temporary Use It Opposed 6 Weeks Ago
The Flagler County Commission approved a pair of metal buildings for $240,000 totaling 4,000 square feet to accommodate evidence storage and crime analysis now that the sheriff is without an operations center.
Bunnell Panics as Emerging Options for Sheriff’s New Operations Building Include Palm Coast Library Site and Town Center
Without evidence, Bunnell officials fear talk of moving the sheriff’s operations center out of the city is a first step toward moving the county seat to Palm Coast, and see the move as illegal.
Nearly $300,000 in Grants Help Continue Sheriff’s Domestic Violence Initiative and Victim Advocacy
The grant renewals, just secured, underwrite the cost of an investigator, an analyst dedicated to domestic violence investigations and almost three victim advocates, and additional grants will pay for SWAT members’ helmets.
Judge Delays Sheriff’s Employees’ Compensation Hearings Over Sick Building, But Further Compromise Is Eluding Them
For the second time in four months, a judge agreed to postpone what was scheduled to be a set of final hearings in workers’ compensation claims of 35 Flagler County Sheriff’s employees who say their health was damaged while working at the Sheriff’s Operations Center in Bunnell.