Flagler County, Palm Coast discuss 5-year public safety staffing plan; city previously funded nine deputies

PALM COAST, Fla. — Flagler County and Palm Coast officials met March 6 for a joint review of a 2022 staffing study and a proposed five‑year public safety plan that lays out hiring and district‑design options to address an identified deputy shortfall.

The report, produced after a U.S. Department of Justice COPS grant funded a mixed‑method staffing analysis, calculated that the sheriff’s office required a baseline of one deputy for every 308 calls for service and that deputies were 67.5% “obligated” — time already committed to existing calls and duties. The study found the department needs enough officers so that a minimum of 71 deputies are available across a 24‑hour period to meet current demand; Sheriff Staley said the agency currently has 94 sworn deputies.

City Manager Lauren Johnston summarized the study’s methodology: “The Sheriff’s Office received a grant, a community oriented policing service, a COPS grant from the US Department of Justice to conduct a more in‑depth law enforcement staffing study using a mixed methodology approach.” Johnston told the joint meeting the model used pre‑COVID call data, per‑call time calculations and a shift‑relief factor to determine minimum deputies per shift.

Why it matters: Palm Coast accounts for most of the county’s call volume and is a primary funder of enhanced city policing under the current blended model. Officials said the five‑year plan is intended to align hires and funding between the county and the city so the sheriff’s office can eliminate a previously identified deficit of deputies and prepare for geographic growth.

Key findings and figures discussed

- Citizen‑initiated…