Volusia Beach Patrol, Sheriff Chitwood Butt Heads on Potential VSO Takeover

Sheriff Mike Chitwood and members of Volusia County Beach Safety are opposed on a proposed absorption of duties by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office. The Volusia County Council will be going to the state legislature in Tallahassee to oppose a bill which would place law enforcement duties on the county’s beaches under the purview of the VSO. Senate Bill 1588 would revise the duties and powers of sheriffs across the state. As of now, the bill has passed the Criminal Justice Committee of the State Senate and still awaits a vote in the Rules Committee. A similar bill is also working its way through the Florida House of Representatives. County Council Chairman Jeff Brower is among those concerned about what a Sheriff’s Office takeover of the beaches may look like. Beach Patrol officers are “critical for our tourist season,” Brower said. “This really concerns me.” Sheriff Chitwood addressed the issue on Monday on social media. “The Sheriff’s Office is going to follow the law,” Chitwood said. “Scare tactics and misinformation won’t change that. Just like we saw with Amendment 10, change can be difficult for some in Volusia County. We’re committed to improving public safety, and we have a proven track record of doing just that, including on the beach, where the Sheriff’s Office is routinely called in to handle major law enforcement incidents and investigations. There will always be those who resist change, but the future belongs to those who embrace it.” For some time, Chitwood left it at that. About 24 hours later, he came back to Facebook with much stronger words, attacking Sgt. Bryon White, a leading figure in the Beach Safety Patrol’s efforts to fight the legislation. “Interesting that the face of the Beach Safety union’s fear campaign is a former officer caught running a tea business on duty, using county assets,” Chitwood said on Tuesday. He then linked a pdf to an investigation which alleges the inequities he mentioned. He then took a definite side in favor of the Sheriff’s Office absorbing law enforcement duties on the beach: “Don’t you want the full force of the Sheriff’s Office already on the ground all across our beachside?”