Flagler County Sheriff Jim Manfre on Tuesday promoted Jon Dopp, a 10-year veteran of the force most recently assigned to the detectives’ bureau, to corporal. In that role, Dopp will be one of the supervisors of the road patrol division’s squads, supervising six to 10 deputies.
The county is divided into two squads—north and south. A corporal is assigned to supervise each and is responsible for ensuring that procedures are followed, citizens’ complaints followed through, and deputies provided the resources they need to handle any given situation.
“I’m appreciative, definitely looking forward to the new challenges of the position,” Dopp said in a brief interview today.
The sheriff does not promote arbitrarily. Rather, candidates for promotion—or, say, for assignment to the detectives’ bureau or other special assignments—take a written test then sit for an oral board, or an interview with a panel of several individuals, some of them at times from outside the sheriff’s office to ensure objectivity. Based on the results of a combination of the two hurdles, along with the applicant’s experience and record, candidates are ranked. The sheriff then makes the appointment. Even then, the union contract with the sheriff’s office requires him to limit his pick to the top five candidates.
For all the criticism leveled at the sheriff over his personnel decisions over the years, his appointments and promotions from within have stuck to the relatively objective approach, with appointments favoring the results of the process rather than favoring those who might be perceived as supporters or political backers.
Dopp, 30, was hired at the sheriff’s office on February 6, 2006, a release states, and since has served in the Neighborhood Services Division as a patrol deputy, field training deputy and on the Crime Suppression Team. He was selected to join the Investigative Services Division and has since served as a property and major case detective.
He is a fierce advocate for law enforcement officer and has not hesitated to voice his ideas or opinions on behalf of law enforcement, squarely stepping in the fray of the last years’ controversies over police shootings of unarmed men to provide the police perspective. “We will not be victims,” he wrote in 2014 in these pages, in a piece re-printed by the Jacksonville Times Union. “Our principles won’t allow us to be so. Our desire to go home to our families at shift’s end is too strong. Cast stones and question tactics. Poke us in the eye with your jokes. Mock us behind our backs. That, we can take, as we have for a long time. But don’t expect us to be victims.”
He was among the featured speakers at the sheriff’s annual May ceremony commemorating fallen officers.
Dopp is also the vice president of the Coastal Florida Police Benevolent Association, the union representing law enforcement officers in the region and at the sheriff’s office. Though his supervisory role may occasionally create conflicts—as a corporal, he is responsible for meting out disciplinary measures when necessary, and as a union representative he’s responsible for defending an employee through disciplinary procedures—his role in the union is unchanged. “If there were ever a situation where there would be a conflict of interest because I’m involved, there’s three other reps who cans step in and separate me from the situation,” Dopp said.
The union is hosting tonight’s forum featuring all nine candidates running for sheriff, including Manfre. The forum is at the Portuguese-American Club, at 1200 Palm Harbor Parkway in Palm Coast, starting at 7 p.m.
“Jon is an outstanding deputy and I am honored to promote him to corporal,” Manfre was quoted as saying in the release. “We have also had the best working relationship with the union under Jon’s leadership.”
Jack Howell says
Congratulations John! Your promotion is well deserved and long over due. I owe you a plane ride buddy.
Got A guy says
Congratulations John stay safe. PS. not sure I would get in a plane with Jack I have seen him ride a motorcycle.
Rich Mikola says
Don’t make fun of Jack, show some respect for the elderly gentleman.
Buddy Negron says
Congrats to John! He is a cop’s cop!! Well-deserved, I just wonder if Manfre did it to buy union support for the upcoming election since he skipped over a number of others and this should have happened long ago! Congrats John! Goodbye Manfre!
Heading North says
Congrats Jon!!!!
Well deserved and well earned!
BIG JOHN says
A Union leader AND a Boss?? How does that happen??
In most other jobs you cannot be a union rep and have supervisory duties.
What kind of a union is that anyway?
You have to choose one side or the other.
anonymous says
This town is filled with over aggressive police. Forcing people to give information. Over stepping their bounds every chance they get. If you have been following the last couple months you see a clear lack of discipline, integrity, and multiple counts of police harassment. I hope the new sheriff cleans house. And hires people who have integrity and focuses on SERVING the community instead of bullying it around to get what you need
Retiredlawenforcemnt says
That’s great his promotion comes right before the union he is the Vice President of hosts a forum for the candidates trying to get MANFRE’S job.
Tired of it says
What do you want to bet the union will now be supporting Manfre.
Jon Dopp says
I’ll bet my next year’s salary that the union won’t be supporting anyone until after the primaries .After that, the union membership will vote on who they wish to endorse, as they always have . That decision will not be made by me personally .
Retiredlawenforcement says
In response to John Doop, it’s not the question of your unions support its the timing of the promotion that is in question or maybe it’s just coincidence. But the fact of the matter is Manfre promotes you right before your Union for which you a Vice President of holds a forum for sheriffs candidates. You should of postponed the promotion due to your position in the police union until after the election or resigned from the union. Its the preception you should of considered.
Jon Dopp says
If my membership asks me to resign, I will gladly step aside. Until then, I will continue to do what they elected me to do . I did consider the perception, and I realize how it looks. But anyone that knows me, knows that I will not sacrifice my principles for a few extra dollars. However, I will not remain in a position I am not wanted in, so if the membership feels I should step down, I will gladly do so, with no hard feelings.
Anon says
Or maybe it’s because he deserved it and they are short on the road as it is… If Flagler live does a record request they will see that several.. And I mean several rod and correction deputies have left this agency over last few months …. Promoting someone like this gentleman is good for the morale not of the sheriff and upper command but for the people who he worked with directly while on the road .. There is no morale pushers above the SGT level at this agency … And they are severely undermanned after so many months of constant hiring. They still lose good deputies who are tired of the BS.. Congrats corporal
Insidejob says
I’m not a supporter of Manfre, and I’m not close with Jon Dopp, but Dopp earned his promotion, and for all of his shortcomings Manfre has promoted fairly unlike Don Fleming.
Gkimp says
If you can lead union members you can lead anyone. Union leadership is the most thankless leadership position I’ve ever held.
Adam says
Congratulations John is one of Flaglers best!!
Jonathan says
I can say from first hand experience that this “detective” uses means which have no place among people supposed to uphold the law and provide citizens safety. During my experience with him (at which I was neither suspect nor victim but rather witness) he was invasive, demanding, denied the suspect every right afforded under the law and was completely disrespectful to all parties involved. The thought of this juvenile and brazen individual being promoted to a position of authority is disturbing. In plain words he acted like a compete asshole. Not someone I would trust to watch over my family at all.