Police Patrol

[TreeFrog]

I've been impressed with the response I've seen from two incidents in my neighborhood when the WalCo Sheriffs were called.

In one event, we had two guys going door to door pretending to be selling candy for a school project - but actually casing the neighborhood for a little burgling. (He said he was in high school, but he looked about 25 :shock Two sheriff's cars showed up within 5 minutes of when my neighbor called.

In the other, they patiently hung around for about 90 minutes to mediate and resolve a dispute that turned ugly.

Quick response and patience. Both are desired attributes for a police force, in my opinion.

 

[Matt J]

I got pulled over for not wearing eye protection on my motorbike, and while the Deputy and I were talking, a guy in a loud truck, who was obviously speeding, passed three cars, on a double yellow. The deputy continued to write my ticket while he said, "I should go after HIM." I said, nothing, but I was thinking, "yes, you should."

Nothing beats the cop I encountered who was sitting in the parking lot of Ed Walline one night. I pulled in to inform him that the person ahead of me was obviously drunk after whipping out of Goat Feathers and then driving in the wrong lane for 3/4 mile. I pointed and stated he was going west, the wonderful deputy then proceded to go east.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I've never had the need to call the Sheriff's dept here, but I can only hope that they have genuine concern when the day comes that I need them.

I think Walton County is a huge area to cover for our Deputies. We don't have many, if any Police officers in our area, or in the rest of the County, so the Sheriff and Code Enforcement end up trying to pick up some of those duties, and the State Troopers are almost non-existent in our are. I think in the peak season and holidays, the majority of the officers are present in the crazy part of the western end of WalCo, Miramar Beach, where the beach chair set ups are three deep. They have a crap load of territory to cover, even though a good portion is Eglin AFB. We are blessed to not have many crimes like I've seen in other towns. I once lived in Greenville SC and there was at least one reported murder on the news every night. Here, people leave the keys in their car, doors unlocked, purse on the beach, and most times, there is not a problem. I know of no other town where you can leave your child unattended in a beach community for an entire day, without anything happening. We are currently blessed that we live in a fairly safe community, where people care about their neighbors. I don't have any jurisdiction of any sort, but if anyone in my community called me for an emergency, I'd be there in a heartbeat, and I know many other people who would do the same. Maybe, we have enough friends and caring neighbors that we don't need more Sheriff's Officers. Miramar may be totally different. I have no idea.

 

[ShallowsNole]

Not counting the Beach Patrol and the Traffic Unit (the deputies assigned specifically to traffic duty, who write the majority of the tickets), there are normally four deputies assigned to SoWal. There is one that covers 283 east to the Bay County Line, one from 283 west to 30A/98, including the areas north of 98, and two assigned from 30A/98 to the Okaloosa County line. At least that's the arrangement as of a year ago, when Fuzz was working patrol.

It is true that they sometimes/often leave their assigned zone to back the other officer up when responding to a call. Sometimes one of the officers assigned to Freeport comes down. Just depends on what else is going on.

If a DUI is snagged, it typically takes the officer off of patrol for about four hours to process the arrest and take the offender north. We have a wonderful, modern new jail, but it's a full hour from SoWal to it, one-way.

Do we have too many, not enough, or just right? I'm not touching that (as SJ likes to say, politricks) but I will take a stroll down memory lane. Back when ShallowsFuzz and some of the other over-20-year folks were new, it was not uncommon to go to work and discover that you were IT, especially on the midnight shift. Not just the only one in SoWal, but in all of Walton County. If you were lucky, someone would handle DFS north to Alabama for you. I can't imagine that today.

 

[Smiling JOe]

So that's why some of the high school kids used to drive really fast at night, back before Seaside was Seaside.

 

[Romeosmydog]

So that's why some of the high school kids used to drive really fast at night, back before Seaside was Seaside.

We use to shoot out the caution light at the intersection in Grayton and run the four way stop doing about 90. Usually Shallowsfuzz was not far behind us!! I pray that my girls never ever see this post.;-)

 

[Andy A]

Every Sheriff Deputy I've encountered for various and sundry reasons has been very courtious, polite and understanding. I wish I could say the same for the Sheriff whose policies, IMO, stink.

 

[ShallowsNole]

Heh heh...Romeo knows that I wasn't always married to a cop, either!

And. there are still a lot of people around who remember details. Just last night he asked, "Am I ever going to stop finding out stuff?" All I could do is

 

[wrobert]

Do we have too many, not enough, or just right? I'm not touching that (as SJ likes to say, politricks) but I will take a stroll down memory lane. Back when ShallowsFuzz and some of the other over-20-year folks were new, it was not uncommon to go to work and discover that you were IT, especially on the midnight shift. Not just the only one in SoWal, but in all of Walton County. If you were lucky, someone would handle DFS north to Alabama for you. I can't imagine that today.

I remember a lot of late night target practice at 331 and 98. Use to be some nice billboards to use for sighting.

 

[Romeosmydog]

We gotta have our secrets.;-)