Florida Sheriffs Association building burns

Florida Sheriffs Association building burns

Will rebuild and renew say officials

"It could have been so much worst." Those words sum up the loss of the Florida Sheriffs Association offices after a devastating fire on April 15. Yes, it’s true the 6,700 square foot building in Tallahassee is considered a total loss, association leaders are determined to rebuild under the same old Oak trees that shade the Mahan Drive location.

photo courtesy of the Tallahassee Fire Department

The destroyed building was built in 1981 but housed memorabilia from the more than 100 years that the Florida Sheriffs Association has been established. There is no way to put a monetary value on the historical photos and documents damaged or lost, however, President of the Florida Sheriffs Association, Baker County Sheriff Joey Dobson says they "are not a unfortunate as we could be."

"We were able to retrieve a lot of it," said Sheriff Dobson. "Old records, photos, and things like that. Some was lost, but a lot we could save."

He credited that to the quick response of the four fire stations responding to the initial call. Tallahassee Fire investigator John Gatlin says right now it appears the fire started in a kitchen or break room. While the cause is still under investigation, authorities are leaning toward it being electrical in nature.

Firefighters battled the blaze from inside the building at first and were apparently able to save some of the files. Restoration experts have been called in to help save some from scorching and from water damage. Membership records and computer files were stored off-site for all those records are safe. The association is using a secondary building to house employees and have made arrangements to rent other office space until they can rebuild.

The Florida Sheriffs Association was created in 1913, nearly 20 years after state sheriffs began meeting annually for the first time. Duval County Sheriff Napolean Broward, who later served as Governor of Florida, helped organize the Florida Sheriffs’ Mutual Benefit Association. In 1910, it became the Florida Sheriffs Association (FSA).

Today’s organization may be very different from the original, but it’s even more effective. It provides help to law enforcement agencies and personnel with services such as lobbying, training and legal advice. FSA’s programs, law enforcement activities and educational and charitable activities have made it one of the largest and most successful state law enforcement associations in the nation.

Through the FSA, sheriffs are given a forum to push for positive changes in state law, criminal justice standards, and other programs. FSA also provides Sheriffs' Offices badly needed programs such as affordable training, special task forces and legislative and legal services that directly affect the quality of law enforcement in each community.

"The association supports and helps all our sheriff’s offices in the state," said Sheriff Dobson. "It provides training and opportunities to exchange information between departments, provides cost-effective ways for departments to purchase big ticket items such as new vehicles and fights for good laws and against bad laws."

FSA started a highly-successful fleet management program that provides each agency with significant buying power and savings on official agency vehicles - a direct benefit and effective cost savings to local taxpayers.

The FSA also donates a lot of time, energy, and funding to charity. They founded the Florida Sheriffs Youth ranches, a child care facility that began to help at-risk children. The Ranches provide community-based services; intensive family counseling; family life education; targeted case management; therapeutic camping; foster care; and other delinquency prevention programs to as many of Florida's troubled and neglected children.

Not only does the FSA provide needed programs and help to it member law enforcement agencies, the association helps Florida taxpayers by providing essential services to law enforcement that would otherwise be unavailable or require funding at the state or local level.

"We certainly were dealt a blow by the fire, but we are still here and will build back bigger and stronger than ever," said Sheriff Dobson.