DeBary resident urges council to remove Volusia County Sheriff’s Office from city, cites alleged misconduct

During the public-comment period at the start of the Aug. 6 meeting, resident Adam Macker urged the DeBary City Council to remove the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office from the city, describing a long-running dispute with law enforcement he said began after a 2018 death and included a later assault by officers and multiple denied internal-affairs complaints.

Macker said he filed a federal lawsuit in October 2023 and that his case recently moved to the appellate process; he said he intends to pursue appeals ‘‘all the way to the Supreme Court’’ if necessary. He referenced an ongoing civil action and alleged financial misconduct by a Volusia County sergeant, stating he had deposed Sheriff Mike Chitwood and Sergeant Jason Stickels in his litigation. Macker characterized the sheriff’s office as "corrupt" and said he wanted the county law-enforcement agency removed from DeBary.

The mayor interrupted when Macker exceeded his allotted time and closed public comment; no council member responded substantively to the allegations during the meeting and the council took no action on the topic. The statements were made by a speaker during public comment and represent the speaker’s assertions; the city has not endorsed or verified them in the meeting record.