Calendar of Events
Operations Review Chief
Captain Howell is a native of Walton County and a 19 year law enforcement veteran having served in both state and local agencies. He began his career as a police officer with the Defuniak Springs Police Department before being appointed deputy sheriff with the Walton County Sheriff’s Office in 1995.
In 1998, he joined the Florida Department of Transportation’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, where he was selected as a canine handler and drug interdiction officer and liaison for highway interdiction efforts with the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), El Paso Information Center (EPIC), and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Being selected as the agency’s canine instructor and receiving intensive training at the U.S. Border Patrol Training Academy in El Paso, Texas.
Captain Howell joined Sheriff Adkinson’s administration in January of 2009 as special operations commander, managing the beach patrol, traffic enforcement, K-9 teams, and marine unit functions. He also served as patrol watch commander and criminal investigations commander, leading all investigative functions including persons crimes, property crimes, narcotics/vice, and crime scene/evidence. He is a graduate of the 242nd session of FBI National Academy. In 2008, he was honored with Florida’s highest award for public safety by being selected “Law Enforcement Officer of the Year” by Florida’s Attorney General and Cabinet for his success in drug interdiction cases.
Operations Review
The Intelligence-Led Policing unit is new to the Agency. The Operations Review responsible has one crime analyst, Bruce Shambo, who is responsible analyzing and producing all crime reports. The crime reports are provided to the various Division Chief' so staffing can be adjusted to new and varying crime trends.
Accreditation
Accreditation programs have long been recognized as a means of maintaining the highest standards of professionalism. Accreditation is the certification by an independent reviewing authority that an entity has met specific requirements and prescribed standards. Schools, universities, and hospitals are some of the most well-known organizations that are required to maintain accreditation. Law enforcement agencies in Florida can now attain accredited status through the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc. The Sheriff's Office received full accreditation with 100% compliance in all mandatory and non-mandatory standards. Lt. Fannin serves as the Agency's Accreditation Manager. COMMISSION FOR FLORIDA LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCREDITATION
Accreditation VideoIn 1993, Florida Statute 943.125 directed that the Florida Sheriffs Association and the Florida Police Chiefs Association create a voluntary law enforcement accreditation program.
Representatives from these Associations developed a process for accreditation which required compliance with more than 250 professional standards designed specifically for Florida law enforcement agencies. The Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc. was formed, comprised of four sheriffs, four chiefs, and one representative each from the Association of Counties, the League of Cities, the State Law Enforcement Chiefs' Association, and the Judiciary. The Commission meets quarterly to oversee the accreditation program and to officially accredit agencies that have passed the rigorous review process.
Benefits of accreditation to the community
Accreditation increases the law enforcement agency's ability to prevent and control crime through more effective and efficient delivery of law enforcement services to the community it serves.
Accreditation enhances community understanding of the law enforcement agency and its role in the community as well as its goals and objectives. Citizen confidence in the policies and practices of the agency is increased.
Accreditation, in conjunction with the philosophy of community policing, commits the agency to a broad range of programs (such as crime prevention) that directly benefit the public.
Accreditation creates a forum in which police and citizens work together to control and prevent crime. This partnership will help citizens to understand the challenges that confront law enforcement. Law enforcement will, in turn, receive clear direction from the community about its expectations. Thus, a common set of goals and objectives will be arrived at and implemented.
Intelligence-Led Policing
The primary purpose of intelligence led policing is to provide the law enforcement decision-makers with the information needed to protect the lives and property of our citizens and visitors. Intelligence led policing is characterized as an underlying philosophy of how intelligence fits into the operations of a law enforcement agency. Intelligence led policing provides strategic integration of intelligence into the overall mission of the sheriff’s office. It is not an add-on responsibility of the agency but an adaptation to more efficiently and effectively deal with threats and serious crime that touch our communities. Intelligence led policing can be defined as a collaborative law enforcement approach combining problem-solving policing, information sharing and police accountability, with enhanced intelligence operations.
Staff Inspections
The purpose of Staff Inspections is to examine and evaluate the functions and activities of the Walton County Sheriff’s Office components and their ability to accomplish organizational objectives in accordance with existing written directives and acceptable practices. The Operations Review staff is responsible for the objective evaluation and improvement of the agency’s performance, operational efficiency and professional standards by regularly conducting staff inspections. Staff inspections assists in identifying opportunities for improvement, eliminating duplication of effort, reporting new and innovative systems and procedures, and providing alternative methods for change and improvement.