FSAcast
FSA Cast is the official podcast of the Florida Sheriffs Association. Host Matt Dunagan shares conversations with Florida’s sheriffs, elected officials and law-enforcement professionals from across the country discussing issues relevant to Florida residents, our visitors and our more than 100,000 honorary members. Founded in 1893, the Florida Sheriffs Association is one of the largest and most successful state law enforcement associations in the nation.
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109. Gulf County Sheriff Mike Harrison
05/07/2024
109. Gulf County Sheriff Mike Harrison
In this episode, FSA speaks with Gulf County Sheriff Mike Harrison. First elected sheriff in 2012, Sheriff Harrison serves as a member of FSA’s important Legislative Committee and on the association’s Board of Directors. Hear about Sheriff Harrison’s past experiences in law enforcement and how it has shaped his work in Gulf County, a special place in the panhandle that is a pleasant place to live, work and raise a family. We also learn about his new assignment as the Chair of the Board of Managers for the Florida Sheriffs Risk Management Fund, and why this organization is so critically important to the day-to-day successes for so many of Florida’s sheriffs.
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108. Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters
04/23/2024
108. Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters
In this episode, FSA speaks with Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters, who was recently elected sheriff after serving the people of Duval County for more than 30 years. Before being elected sheriff, he worked in the county jail then graduated from the police academy and rose through the ranks working in numerous capacities within the agency’s major departments of Patrol & Enforcement and Homeland Security & Investigations. His experiences have helped shape his vision for the office and how he uses new methods to communicate with citizens by being transparent and building trust within the community. Sheriff Waters also explains why Duval County has a consolidated form of government and how it works for the people of Jacksonville.
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107. Jacksonville Sheriff Nat Glover (retired)
04/09/2024
107. Jacksonville Sheriff Nat Glover (retired)
In this episode, FSA visits with the former Sheriff of Jacksonville Nat Glover. Sheriff Glover recently published a book entitled, “Striving for Justice: A Black Sheriff in the Deep South.” We discussed his long and distinguished law enforcement career that culminated with him being elected sheriff in 1995. Sheriff Glover was the first Black sheriff elected in the state of Florida in over 100 years in the post-Reconstruction South. As sheriff, he garnered national recognition for pioneering community policing efforts and was recently inducted into the Florida Law Enforcement Officer’s Hall of Fame.
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106. Understanding the Rogue Prosecutor Movement with Zack Smith
03/26/2024
106. Understanding the Rogue Prosecutor Movement with Zack Smith
In this episode, FSA talks to Zack Smith, co-author of the recent book Rogue Prosecutors: How Radical Soros Lawyers are Destroying America’s Communities. Zack is a Legal Fellow at The Heritage Foundation and previously served for several years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Florida. We visited with Zack after his presentation to the sheriffs at our Winter Conference and he lays out the premise of his book and why all citizens should be focused and engaged on who serves them as their locally elected prosecutor.
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105. Week 9 Legislative Recap/Sine Die Edition
03/08/2024
105. Week 9 Legislative Recap/Sine Die Edition
In the final episode for the 2024 session, FSA sits down with House Majority Leader Representative Michael Grant. Leader Grant served as Majority Leader for two House Speakers, and he explains to us what the Majority Leader must do to ensure a successful legislative session for all members. We end with summarizing all the public safety wins sheriffs achieved during this session. Spoiler alert: Lots of good bills passed this year.
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104. Week 8 Legislative Recap
03/01/2024
104. Week 8 Legislative Recap
In this episode, FSA provides a Week 8 legislative recap. With one week left, the House and Senate spent most of the week on the floor or in budget conferencing meetings. We highlight those budget discussions and focus on the new recurring funding the Florida Department of Corrections will receive for maintenance and building repairs. We also provide updates on the status of the Florida Sheriffs Association’s priority bills. Good news: The bills are in nice shape and are heading toward final passage next week. Stay tuned.
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103. Week 7 Legislative Recap
02/23/2024
103. Week 7 Legislative Recap
In this episode, FSA provides a Week 7 legislative recap. This week we highlight HB 1 and why sheriffs support this social media bill’s passage into law. House Speaker Paul Renner recently stated HB 1 is the most important measure Florida can take to empower parents and save children from irreparable harm of the addictive features employed by many social media platforms. We also have Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson testifying in committee in support of the SAFE Act, which will voluntarily permit a special designation on a person’s driver license who has been diagnosed with certain disabilities or disorders. Sheriff Johnson enlightens us as to why this bill is necessary and how having more information before encounters with citizens with special needs can saves lives. We end with an update on the progress we are making during session on school safety legislation with the House passing HB 1473 this week.
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102. Congresswoman Laurel Lee (Florida 15th District)
02/13/2024
102. Congresswoman Laurel Lee (Florida 15th District)
In this episode, FSA speaks with Congresswoman Laurel Lee who proudly represents the 15th Congressional District of Florida, which encompasses eastern Hillsborough County as well as parts of Pasco and Polk counties. Congresswoman Lee highlights the work she is doing during her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives to protect our nation from threats both abroad and at home. Prior to her election, Congresswoman Lee served as Florida’s 36th Secretary of State under the DeSantis Administration and was previously a circuit court judge as well as a federal prosecutor.
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101. Week 5 Legislative Recap
02/09/2024
101. Week 5 Legislative Recap
In this episode, FSA provides a Week 5 legislative recap. It’s the halfway point of the 60-day legislative session, and FSA’s priority legislation on juvenile justice as well as school safety continues to move ahead. We hear from FSA’s Legislative Chair Sheriff Bob Gualtieri on why these bills are important as he testifies in committee. We also sit down with Erin Rock of The Southern Group and cover all the angles of the state budget.
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100. Hamilton County Sheriff Harrell Reid
01/30/2024
100. Hamilton County Sheriff Harrell Reid
On this special 100th episode of FSAcast, we talk to Hamilton County Sheriff Harrell Reid, the Dean of the Florida Sheriffs. First elected in 1988, Sheriff Reid talks about his distinguished law enforcement career and highlights what he has seen over his nine terms as sheriff. We also discuss what makes Hamilton County a special place to live and work. As the Dean of the Florida Sheriffs, Sheriff Reid shares with us entertaining stories and some of the wisdom he has shared with his fellow sheriffs over the years.
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99. Week 3 Legislative Recap
01/26/2024
99. Week 3 Legislative Recap
In this episode, FSA provides a Week 3 legislative recap. We discuss the status of several FSA priority bills and then sit down with Lt. Abby Hilley and Lt. Eloilda “Ellie” Shea of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. We discuss their careers and work as part of the Legislative Affairs Team at the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
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98. Week 2 Legislative Recap
01/19/2024
98. Week 2 Legislative Recap
In this episode, FSA provides a Week 2 legislative recap by discussing the status of several of the sheriffs’ top legislative priorities and how they are progressing early on in session. Then FSA’s Director of Communications Logan Lewkow sits down with FSA President Sheriff Bill Leeper of Nassau County to discuss his busy day at the state Capitol. They talk about the work sheriffs are doing to combat human trafficking as well as ways FSA is working to access a portion of the state’s opioid settlement fund to address deputy mental health and wellness.
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97. Week 1 Legislative Recap
01/12/2024
97. Week 1 Legislative Recap
In this episode, FSA provides a Week 1 legislative recap by discussing the Governor’s State of the State address. St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick is also the guest of House Speaker Paul Renner for the first day of session where he is recognized as the Law Enforcement Officer of the Day. We then sit down with Senator Tom Wright to discuss what he is working on for the 2024 session to help support sheriffs and law enforcement.
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96. 2024 Legislative Preview
01/08/2024
96. 2024 Legislative Preview
In this episode, FSA provides a preview of the 2024 legislative session. We discuss the sheriffs’ legislative priorities and how they are working to ensure another successful public safety session for Florida. We then sit down with two of FSA’s contracted lobbyists, Angela Drzewiecki of GrayRobinson and Jennifer Green of Liberty Partners. Angela and Jennifer offer key insights and what we can expect from our state Capitol during this early start of legislative session.
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95. Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon
01/03/2024
95. Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon
Episode 95: Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon In this episode, FSA speaks with Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon, who oversees the largest state agency with more than 23,000 employees. We discuss how this agency keeps our communities safe by securely confining violent criminals in prison, but also how they monitor offenders in our communities who are on state community supervision. Secretary Dixon also explains how the department is working to recruit and retain the very best employees and how they work with sheriffs throughout the state to build safer communities.
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94. The SECURE 2.0 Act
12/05/2023
94. The SECURE 2.0 Act
In this episode, FSA speaks with George Schein, the Technical Director of Advanced Consulting Group with Nationwide Retirement Group. What is Secure 2.0? Why is important to you? How can saving more money sooner help in your retirement, no matter how old you are today? George has advised both for-profit and not-for-profit employers as an employee benefits attorney in private practice for over a decade before joining Nationwide Financial in 2018. His work in the Advanced Consulting Group focuses on providing technical expertise and education to financial professionals and plan sponsors as it relates to qualified retirement plans and welfare benefit plans.
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93. Pamela Barnum & Building Trust
11/14/2023
93. Pamela Barnum & Building Trust
In this episode, FSA speaks with trust strategist and body language expert Pamela Barnum. A former undercover police officer, federal prosecutor and now national public speaker, Pamela was a keynote presenter during the Sheriffs’ Executive Leadership Conference about ways we can all do a better job of building trust. She has spoken in front of audiences ranging from 50 to 12,000 in the United States, Canada, and Australia, and Pamela’s recent TEDx Talk, “What Drug Dealers Taught Me About Trust,” was viewed more than 200,000 times in the first six months.
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92. Orange County Sheriff John Mina
10/31/2023
92. Orange County Sheriff John Mina
In this episode, FSA speaks with Orange County Sheriff John Mina, who was first elected sheriff in 2018 and then reelected in 2020. Before being elected sheriff, he had a 27-year career with the Orlando Police Department, culminating with being Chief of Police. Orange County is the fifth-most populous county in the state and had more than 74 million travelers from around the world visit last year. With so much sun, fun and tourism in the county, it is never a dull day. Sheriff Mina shares his insights about providing public safety services to such a large and diverse population as well as the new programs he has instituted to keep citizens and visitors safe.
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91. Addressing Our Nation’s Opioid Epidemic
10/17/2023
91. Addressing Our Nation’s Opioid Epidemic
In this episode, FSA addresses the issue of our nation’s opioid epidemic. The number of drug overdose deaths increased more than 16% from 2020 to 2021, and last year over 75% of the nearly 107,000 drug overdose deaths involved an opioid. To help solve this problem, Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma has established a holistic approach, and he and his team shared their insights during a panel discussion during the Major County Sheriffs of America’s Fall Conference. After the panel discussion, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, Rodger Handberg, and Captain Sammy Gibson of the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office discussed the steps they are taking to prevent and reduce the number of opioid deaths in central Florida.
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90. San Bernardino County Ransomware Attack
10/03/2023
90. San Bernardino County Ransomware Attack
In this episode, FSA addresses the issue of cybersecurity. Ransomware attacks on public institutions have risen sharply in recent years. On April 7, 2023, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in California discovered they were victims of a hack, and it forced the department to temporarily shut down some of its computer systems. During the Major County Sheriffs of America’s Fall Conference, Andy Lerma, the Departmental Information Systems Administrator and Jonathan Alonzo, the Cybersecurity Manager, explain what happened and highlight the steps we can all take to ensure our computer systems remain safe and secure.
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89. Mickey Osterreicher & Balancing First Amendment Rights
09/19/2023
89. Mickey Osterreicher & Balancing First Amendment Rights
In this episode, FSA speaks with Mickey Osterreicher, the general counsel of the National Press Photographers Association. Mickey presented during the Florida Sheriffs Association’s Summer Conference in Tampa on the topic of balancing citizens' First Amendment rights with the operational challenges of law enforcement. He is also a reserve deputy in New York and brings a well-rounded perspective to both public safety as well as supporting a free and vibrant press.
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88. Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett
09/05/2023
88. Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett
In this episode, FSA speaks with Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett. First elected in 2016, Sheriff Padgett shares his passion for public service and what made him interested in a career in law enforcement later in life. We then discuss strategies on how to build positive relationships with county commissioners as well as the general public. We conclude by finding out some of Sheriff Padgett’s hidden talents before he became sheriff. *Note this interview was recorded before Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Taylor County. The beginning of the episode includes remarks from Governor Ron DeSantis and Sheriff Padgett on the recovery efforts the day after the storm. Those interested in assisting Taylor County can donate to the Florida Disaster Fund by going to .
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87. Bill Frye, President of the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches
08/16/2023
87. Bill Frye, President of the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches
In this episode, FSA speaks with the Bill Frye, president of the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches. Founded in 1957 by Florida’s sheriffs, Bill highlights how their three residential care campuses and numerous summer camps have helped more than 173,000 children. Bill has had a chance throughout his amazing career to help many young people and we talk about just a few examples that emphasize the long-lasting work that is achieved by the people who work at the sheriffs ranches. During this episode you will learn about the rich history of this amazing organization and how you can help support the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches.
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86. Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper
08/02/2023
86. Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper
In this episode, FSA speaks with the new president of the Florida Sheriffs Association Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper. We discuss the biggest challenges facing law enforcement today and why serving in a law enforcement position is an admirable endeavor. Sheriff Leeper shares his goals as FSA president, and we also learn about a few of his secret talents outside of being a sheriff.
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85: FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass
07/18/2023
85: FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass
In this episode, FSA speaks with Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Commissioner Mark Glass. We discuss the history of how this statewide law enforcement office was created over 50 years ago as well as how this Cabinet-level agency operates on a day-to-day basis. Commissioner Glass highlights how FDLE is constantly adapting to address the crime du jour issues of Florida. We also breakdown what a Fusion Center does and why they play a pivotal role in the sharing and dissemination of actionable intelligence to keep communities safe.
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84. Florida Gaming Control Commission
07/05/2023
84. Florida Gaming Control Commission
In this episode, FSA speaks with Carl Herold, the Director of Gaming Enforcement for the Florida Gaming Control Commission. Learn about Florida’s newest state law enforcement agency and how Director Herold and his team are working with sheriffs to ensure our state’s gambling laws are enforced, gambling contraband is seized, and illegal gaming activities are stopped. With a changing and evolving legal gambling landscape, hear the overall strategy for accomplishing gaming enforcement in the state of Florida.
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83. Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook
06/20/2023
83. Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook
In this episode, FSA speaks with Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook. Learn why Sheriff Cook decided to run for office in 2020 and how she has hit the ground running by serving on FSA’s Legislative Committee and being appointed the Zone 3 Chair of the FSA Task Force. We also discuss effective ways of dealing with our nation’s drug epidemic and how Clay County is leading the way with its new forensic lab, which will be a great regional asset for agencies needing electronic evidence analyzed.
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82. Hardee County Sheriff Vent Crawford
06/06/2023
82. Hardee County Sheriff Vent Crawford
In this episode, FSA speaks with Hardee County Sheriff Vent Crawford. Learn about Sheriff Crawford’s distinguished career as a trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol and how it eventually led him to run for sheriff in 2020. We also discuss how his county prepared for and responded to Hurricane Ian last year. Sheriff Crawford talks about ways in which he is building his office to adjust to the many changes that continue to occur throughout Florida and how recruiting and retaining the very best men and woman is a constant challenge that takes new approaches.
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81. Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman
05/23/2023
81. Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman
In this episode, FSA speaks with Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman. First elected in 2020, Sheriff Hoffman has taken on the role of chairing FSA’s new Accreditation Advisory Committee. Learn about why the accreditation process is so important to sheriffs and how sheriffs are working together to help support those seeking state accreditation. In addition, we cover all things Sarasota and discuss ways in which Sheriff Hoffman is working to lower the crime rate in a growing and populous county.
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80. Week 9 Legislative Recap/Sine Die Edition
05/04/2023
80. Week 9 Legislative Recap/Sine Die Edition
In the final episode of the 2023 legislative session, FSA sits down with three members of our lobbying team, Angela Drzewiecki, Jennifer Green and Tim Parson, to talk about Florida’s record-breaking budget and the successful session for the sheriffs and public safety. We conclude with a discussion on some of the other big issues from this session and our predictions on what time the Legislature will officially adjourn sine die with the historic hanky drop on May 5.
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