Florida Sheriff’s Office Needs More Deputies to Protect and Patrol

Florida Sheriff’s Office Needs More Deputies to Protect and Patrol

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office in Fla., needs to add at least 40 more deputies to keep up with calls for service, according to the sheriff.

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office in St. Augustine, Fla., needs to add at least 40 more deputies to keep up with calls for service, according to the sheriff.

The population of St. Johns County has increased by more than 28 percent since 2010—an additional 50,000 residents—but the sheriff’s department staff has only increased by about 15 percent in the same period. Almost one-third of the additional sheriff’s office staff are assigned to school campuses under new state requirements in the wake of the Parkland school shooting.

There are currently 324 deputies with the Sheriff’s Office, and according to the sheriff, they could use 40 more deputies. According to News 4 Jax, that number may not be requested in the next budget year. The sheriff is meeting with department heads and the school district and will make his budget proposal this summer.

According to Spokesman Chuck Mulligan, having fewer deputies means the Sheriff’s Office may focus less on things like traffic stops in order to prioritize more critical issues.

"You may have nine or 10 personnel at one call, depending on how significant the call is, while other calls are simply an alarm call—a false alarm, for example. One deputy goes. Five minutes later, that call is resolved and we’re off to another call," Mulligan said.

The Sheriff’s Office lost employees during the recession a decade ago. Fifteen deputies were added in both 2016 and 2017 as the first additions since the recession, and 16 more were hired last year but assigned to school resource officer duties.

"We knew that budget cuts would be coming so we, on our own, began attrition (of) our workforce," Mulligan said.

News4Jax reported that most St. Johns County residents said they feel safe but know that population growth means more opportunities for crime. Residents hope to see more deputies patrolling their neighborhoods.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • AI Is Now the Leading Cybersecurity Concern for Security, IT Leaders

    Arctic Wolf recently published findings from its State of Cybersecurity: 2025 Trends Report, offering insights from a global survey of more than 1,200 senior IT and cybersecurity decision-makers across 15 countries. Conducted by Sapio Research, the report captures the realities, risks, and readiness strategies shaping the modern security landscape. Read Now

  • Analysis of AI Tools Shows 85 Percent Have Been Breached

    AI tools are becoming essential to modern work, but their fast, unmonitored adoption is creating a new kind of security risk. Recent surveys reveal a clear trend – employees are rapidly adopting consumer-facing AI tools without employer approval, IT oversight, or any clear security policies. According to Cybernews Business Digital Index, nearly 90% of analyzed AI tools have been exposed to data breaches, putting businesses at severe risk. Read Now

  • Software Vulnerabilities Surged 61 Percent in 2024, According to New Report

    Action1, a provider of autonomous endpoint management (AEM) solutions, today released its 2025 Software Vulnerability Ratings Report, revealing a 61% year-over-year surge in discovered software vulnerabilities and a 96% spike in exploited vulnerabilities throughout 2024, amid an increasingly aggressive threat landscape. Read Now

  • Motorola Solutions Named Official Safety Technology Supplier of the Ryder Cup through 2027

    Motorola Solutions has today been named the Official Safety Technology Supplier of the 2025 and 2027 Ryder Cup, professional golf’s renowned biennial team competition between the United States and Europe. Read Now

  • Evolving Cybersecurity Strategies

    Organizations are increasingly turning their attention to human-focused security approaches, as two out of three (68%) cybersecurity incidents involve people. Threat actors are shifting from targeting networks and systems to hacking humans via social engineering methods, living off human errors as their most prevalent attack vector. Whether manipulated or not, human cyber behavior is leveraged to gain backdoor access into systems. This mainly results from a lack of employee training and awareness about evolving attack techniques employed by malign actors. Read Now

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.