In this episode, FSA speaks with Matt Griffin about the importance of deputy wellness. September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and it is vital that first responders take the time to become more aware of their own mental health. Matt speaks about his own journey and how he almost lost his life to suicide. His book, The Journey to Midnight, is a roadmap that accurately describes the dangerous path of unattended trauma, but more importantly, the pathway to successful recovery.

In this episode, FSA shares the remarks U.S. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina provided to sheriffs at their summer conference in Kissimmee.  Sen. Scott received FSA’s National Legislative Champion Award for his work on sound public safety and police reform legislation during the 117th session of Congress.  Sen. Scott talked to the sheriffs about his message of hope and opportunity for our nation, and he also fielded questions from sheriffs on the topics of accreditation, the current status of police reform legislation as well as immigration enforcement.

In this episode, FSA speaks with Dr. Charlie Scheer during the 2022 Major County Sheriffs of America Summer Conference.  Dr. Scheer is an assistant professor of criminal justice at The University of Southern Mississippi. His research focuses on police workforce management, training and police legitimacy. He has published research on police recruitment and retention strategies, and we discuss his recent findings on this important topic.  Dr. Scheer also remains a part-time sheriff’s deputy in Mississippi.

In this episode, FSA speaks with the new president of the Florida Sheriffs Association, Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis. Learn about what makes Hernando County great, why Sheriff Nienhuis began his career in law enforcement and public safety initiatives he has planned for the near future. We also take listener questions!

In this episode, FSA speaks with Mecklenburg County (Charlotte, NC) Sheriff Garry McFadden during the 2022 Major County Sheriffs of America’s Summer Conference. Sheriff McFadden was elected to serve as the 45th sheriff of Mecklenburg County in 2018. 

Prior to being elected sheriff, Garry had a distinguished 36-year law enforcement career with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, where he served for over 20 years as a legendary homicide detective. Hear how Sheriff McFadden is using his life experiences to continually connect with people and how these connections are making the Queen City and the county a safer place to live.

In this episode, FSA speaks with Salt Lake County (Utah) Sheriff Rosie Rivera during the 2022 Major County Sheriffs of America’s Summer Conference. Sheriff Rivera was sworn in as the first elected female sheriff in the state of Utah in 2017.  Hear why Sheriff Rivera is so passionate about finding alternatives to incarceration by supporting programs such as drug addiction treatment, mental health treatment and additional housing for the homeless. Also learn more about the unique role the sheriff plays as CEO over the United Police Department of Greater Salt Lake.

In this episode, FSA speaks with St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick about his first two years in office. Sheriff Hardwick was elected sheriff in 2020, and during his time in office he has made use of new technology to solve crimes at the forefront of his work.  Learn more about the rich 200-year history of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office as well as why keeping the citizens of this county safe is such a unique and rewarding experience. 

In this episode, FSA speaks with Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly.  Currently the vice president of the Florida Deputy Sheriffs Association, Sheriff Staly highlights the many ways in which the organization helps its 16,000 members every day. We discuss why Florida’s Truth in Sentencing law is so important to keep violent criminals behind bars and why the law is personal to him. Sheriff Staly also talks about some of the innovative programs he utilizes on the street and in his jail to keep his community safe.

In this episode, FSA speaks with retired Wakulla County Sheriff David Harvey about his induction into the Florida Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame. Sheriff Harvey was first elected sheriff of Wakulla County when he was only 26 years old and went on to serve nine terms as sheriff. Sheriff Harvey performed many important roles at FSA including chair of the Legislative Committee and president. After his retirement, he went on to work as the first executive director of the Florida Sheriffs Risk Management Fund. We end the episode by hearing from Sheriff Harvey during his recent acceptance speech at the Hall of Fame ceremony at the State Capitol.

In this episode, FSA speaks with Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter. Sheriff Hunter is a past president of FSA, and we talk about the importance of FSA’s Commanders Academy and why he comes and instructs for every class. We also discuss improvements to the Florida Model Jail Standards Commission, the rich history of the Office of Sheriff in Florida and why implementation of Amendment 10 in Miami-Dade County is so important for the elected and independent Office of Sheriff.