Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly and FCSO Director of Communications Christina Mortimer presented requested amendments to state legislation for the upcoming year on Monday, December 19, 2022. In front of Senator Travis Hutson and Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Paul Renner, who both represent Flagler County, each speaker was given three minutes to advocate for their respective causes.
Sheriff Staly at platform addressing Congressperson Hutson (L) and Speaker Renner (R) Sheriff Rick Staly was introducing as Bad habit Seat of the Florida Sheriff’s Affiliation Top managerial staff on a need issue of Florida’s 67 Sheriffs. Sheriff Staly and other Florida sheriffs want to make the retirement system for employees in the special risk class in Florida better so that they can compete with municipal officers for recruitment and retention. (1) If the legislation is approved, it would lower the minimum age and number of years of service required of members of the special risk class; 2) make it easier to get back to work after retirement;
and, thirdly, extend the DROP period to include correctional officers, which was approved during the 2022 legislative session.
These modifications would assist Florida sheriff’s offices with recruitment and retention issues, which have plagued law enforcement agencies nationwide.
Christina Mortimer, FCSO Director of Communications, spoke on behalf of the Florida Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (Florida APCO) and all Public Safety Telecommunicators, or 911 Dispatchers. Director Mortimer made a request to include 911 dispatchers in the definition of a first responder in an amendment to Florida Statute 112.1815. At the moment, the term “first responder” includes 911 dispatchers in the laws of 18 states.
Director Mortimer stated, “When a citizen of Flagler County calls 911, they are expecting a highly qualified and trained professional to answer.” Before receiving their certification from the Florida Department of Health, each of our dispatchers in Flagler County goes through an extensive training program that has been approved by the state. Because mistakes made on the job can mean the difference between life and death, our training is so extensive.
In addition to giving Telecommunicators a sense of pride in the extremely challenging work they do every day, the inclusion of Public Safety Telecommunicators as First Responders will assist Telecommunicators in receiving the necessary specialized health care for the stress they experience answering calls for help at the worst times in people’s lives.
“I greatly thank Senator Travis Hutson and Speaker Paul Renner for hearing the needs of the Florida Sheriff’s Association and needs of our Public Safety Telecommunicators here in Flagler County and across the state,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “We hope that we can work together to see this legislation passed in 2023.”
A recording of the Legislative Delegation meeting can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxTFjPvx3qc
