BUNNELL, FL – During the National Sheriff’s Association (NSA) annual award luncheon, NSA presented the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) NSA’s Crime Victim Services Agency of the Year for 2024. It’s a prestigious award that annually recognizes outstanding achievement by one sheriff’s office in the nation for their support of victims.
NSA recognized that FCSO has developed a culture, team, policies, programs, and resources that put the needs of victims first in everything the organization does each day. It provides law enforcement services for more than 130,000 residents in an area that continues to be one of the fastest growing counties in the state and nation.
After taking office in 2017, Sheriff Staly developed a Guardianship Policing Model, a methodology that ensures crime prevention is truly a community effort. Through this model, FCSO consistently delivers exceptional services to victims of crimes with partner community groups, neighborhood associations, civic associations, businesses, and schools. Under Guardianship Policing, FCSO achieved over a 50% crime reduction between 2017 and 2023 and implemented many programs and campaigns to keep citizens from becoming victims of crime or becoming targets for criminals.
Victim Advocates Deana Uhl and Brianna Miller, ISD Division Chief David Williams.
“We are very honored to receive this award,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “I’m honored the dedicated professionals we have working at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, especially in our Victim Services team, are being recognized by NSA. This is now the 8th national or state award our Agency or our employees have received since 2017.”
The award was presented at the 2024 NSA Annual Conference in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, June 26th. Also attending the recognition were Division Chief David Williams and Victim Advocates Brianna Miller and Deanna Uhl. NSA covered most costs associated with FCSO employees attending the award presentation. Prior to the award, Sheriff Staly presented at NSA on FCSO’s victim-centered approach to protecting and serving through guardianship policing to the nation’s Sheriffs. Sheriff Staly was previously awarded life membership in NSA.
NSA established the Crime Victim Services Award in 2005 with funding support from the Office for Victims of Crime. The award has been sponsored by Appriss Insights since 2008. Some past winners of this prestigious award include Suffolk County, New York; Harford County, Maryland; and Orange County, Florida, Sheriff’s Offices.
Learn more about the National Sheriff’s Association at: https://www.sheriffs.org/
