Sheriff, Bunnell chief accentuate the positive during community meeting
PALM COAST — Arrests are up and crime is down so far in Flagler County this year, according to presentations given by Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly and Bunnell Police Chief Tom Foster during a town-hall style community meeting staged Wednesday by the Sheriff's Office.
More than 50 residents filled a meeting room inside the Hilton Garden Inn in Palm Coast to get a glimpse into the tactics the two local law enforcement agencies are using to fight crime. Staly told them “focus crimes” — robberies, burglaries, auto breakings and vehicle thefts — and violent crimes have both decreased by 18 percent through March 31 compared to Sheriff’s Office statistics from the first quarter of 2017. Foster said those crimes in his jurisdiction have been cut by a third — from 27 to 18.
“Compared to last year, we’re already seeing a significant reduction in crime this year,” Staly said. “We believe that’s because we laid the foundation in 2017. The (Palm Coast) City Council and County Commission both funded additional staff, and you’re now starting to see the fruits of that investment.”
Staly gave a 53-minute presentation detailing the progress at the Sheriff’s Office through his first 15 months as the county’s top lawman. One of the most impactful changes was a shift in how deputies police the county. Staly implemented a new beat structure last summer, breaking patrol units into three distinct districts: the beachside cluster on the coast, the urban core in Palm Coast, and rural Flagler west of U.S. 1. Deputies are assigned to zones within their respective districts as a way to allow them to become more familiar with their area's of responsibility.
“It allows our deputies to focus in a geographical area, get to know the community, get to know the unique needs of the community, and focus on it instead of moving around all over the place,” Staly said.
The number of arrests the Sheriff’s Office made through the first three months of this year skyrocketed more than 27 percent, from 279 to 401, compared to 2017, he said.
That has helped swell the daily jail population at the Flagler County Inmate Facility to an average of 208 inmates. Staly said it was about 130 when he became sheriff in January 2017.
Staly showcased some of the initiatives and special units his agency implemented last year, such as a domestic violence task force and a traffic team dedicated to catching speeders and reducing traffic fatalities.
Staly also detailed a new tactical squad dubbed the Problem Area Crime Enforcement (PACE) team, which will be unveiled in about two months. The unit will target repeat offenders and recurring criminal activity in certain areas or during certain times. The agency also plans to roll out a new beach marine unit beginning Memorial Day weekend, including a new airboat and four-wheel drive vehicle that will handle beach patrols.
Foster followed up on Staly’s presentation by offering a snapshot of crime his department handles within Bunnell’s city boundaries. He spoke of building trust with residents and said he encourages his officers to “solve problems” and develop relationships with the community.
“We’re all working for a common goal, and that’s to keep everybody safe,” he said. “I’m not after the numbers and arrests. That’s sheer numbers. We’re looking for some measurable effect we can have on the community.”