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Sheriff says staffing is near full strength, highlights social-worker partnership and cost reductions
Summary
Okaloosa County’s sheriff told commissioners vacancy rates have fallen to near-zero for deputies and to about 3.2% for dispatch, credited recruitment and retention efforts, and described a grant-funded clinical social-worker partnership that supports outreach at no county cost.
The Okaloosa County sheriff told commissioners the department has materially reduced vacancies and is operating near full staffing, attributing the improvement to recruitment, retention, and compensation packages supported by the board.
The sheriff reported a sworn deputy vacancy close to 0.06%—“not even a 10th of a deputy,” he said—and a dispatch vacancy of about 3.2%, which he contrasted with prior years. He said total FTEs in his office rose by roughly 16 since 2021 (12 net new permanent FTEs, with four contract positions included in the higher number). The sheriff described reallocating positions and using attrition to staff four new deputies in the county’s North End with no new county cost.
On services and partnerships: the sheriff highlighted a grant‑funded clinical licensed social worker, Rachel Halverson, who conducts outreach for mental‑health and substance‑use issues at no cost to the county and works with local partners including Bridgeway and the health department. The sheriff said that role improves timely referrals and connectivity to treatment.
Budgetary tradeoffs: the sheriff said his office absorbed a significant health‑insurance rate increase by adjusting benefits and reduced fleet purchases temporarily to offset other costs; he cautioned that some temporary savings will not recur next year.
The sheriff invited questions and said he would work with commissioners on priorities during the remainder of the budget process.
