By-Line: Joseph Bober, FCSO
FCSO to Present to America’s Sheriffs; Employees Selected as Subject Matter Experts
Sheriff Rick Staly and the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Court and Detention Services Division are proud to announce two exciting achievements for the Agency’s Detention Services team.
The FCSO Detention Services Section has been selected to present at the 2025 National Sheriffs’ Association Winter Conference taking place in February in Washington, D.C. Division Chief Dan Engert will present the seminar, titled “How a Sheriff’s Detention Facility is Transforming Lives and Helping to Make Flagler County one of the Safest Communities in America.”
The seminar will focus on how FCSO selects, implements, and evaluates several life-changing programs at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility which effectively address the underlying causes of recidivism and provide everyone re-entering the community with the foundation, tools, and opportunities to never again return to incarceration.
“I am excited to be able to present and share the good work we are doing in Flagler County on a national stage,” said Chief Engert. “Hopefully, we will be able to share some lessons that will help guide and improve inmate facilities and outcomes throughout the country.”
Since Sheriff Staly took office in 2017, many programs have been implemented at the jail through partnerships with businesses, Flagler Schools, and community organizations to improve inmate outcomes. These include the Homeward Bound Initiative in partnership with Flagler Technical College, Successful Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Treatment Program in partnership with EPIC Behavioral Healthcare, 2nd Opportunity Re-entry Program, and Joy Beyond Walls in partnership with Parkview Church.
“Improving inmate outcomes improves our community,” said Sheriff Staly. “When I became Sheriff, there was nothing in place for inmates to improve their lives, so jail was often a revolving door for many inmates and a warehouse of offenders. Today, we provide our inmates the tools and the opportunity to turn their lives around and become productive citizens.”
In another achievement, two FCSO members have been chosen by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to serve on the State Officer Certification Exam Corrections Advisory Team.
Detention Corporal Douglas Evans and Detention Deputy First Class Jesse O’Neill were selected to be subject matter experts for the State Officer Certification Exam. In this role, they will aid exam development staff by reviewing and validating test questions, exam blueprints, and cut-off scores, and provide feedback on any exam challenges that FDLE may receive.
Detention Corporal Evans has served as a correctional officer for six years—five with FCSO and one with the Volusia County Division of Corrections. While at FCSO, he has taken on critical roles as a field training officer and a Corrections Special Operations team operator. In 2020, he was named FCSO’s Detention Deputy of the Year.
Detention Deputy First Class O’Neill has served as a correctional officer for 16 years—eight with FCSO and eight with the Florida Department of Corrections at the Tomoka Correctional Institution. While at FCSO, he has served as a field training officer, Corrections Special Operations team operator, and key control custodian.
Both will serve a three-year term until 2028.
“Having two members selected as subject matter experts on the Corrections Advisory Team is a remarkable achievement for our Agency, as they were up against nominees from across the state to fill only 25 spots,” added Sheriff Staly. “I am extremely proud of both Detention Corporal Evans and Detention Deputy First Class O’Neill for being selected to serve on this team, and I am excited to see the role they will play in shaping the quality of Florida’s future correctional officers! As a former FDLE subject matter expert myself, I know the importance of being a subject matter expert and the statewide impact they have on our profession statewide. Congratulations!”
