Meet the candidates: Here’s who’s running for Flagler County sheriff

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – Voters in Flagler County will get the chance to either reelect their current sheriff or hire a new top cop in the November election.

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Incumbent Republican Rick Staly was first elected sheriff in 2016. He’s hoping to continue leading more than 300 Flagler County Sheriff’s Office employees serving a community of more than 95,000.

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Before voters decide on keeping the current sheriff or electing a new one they should get to know a little more about each candidate.

Here’s what you need to know:

Rick Staly (R)

Sheriff Staly first began his career in law enforcement as a police officer in Oviedo and later in Altamonte Springs. He then served 23 years in the Orange County Sheriff’s Office before being promoted to undersheriff. In 2004, Staly ran for sheriff in Orange County but lost the race to Kevin Beary, the sheriff he was serving under at the time. Staly began leading the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office in 2017. Staly says he believes in working with the community to reduce crime and adopting crime prevention strategies. Since he took office, he says the crime rate has gone down by 47%, the lowest crime rate in 25 years. He has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Rollins College and a master’s degree in justice administration from the University of Louisville. He and his wife, Debbie, have two daughters and three grandchildren. You can read more about Sheriff Staly’s bid to gain your vote here.

Larry Jones (D)

Jones says he has been leading law enforcement and corrections professionals across Flagler County for more than 30 years. Jones first ran for sheriff in 2016 but lost to Staly. Although he is running as a Democrat, on his Facebook page, he reminds people living in Flagler County that’s he’s a candidate for all. If he’s elected sheriff, he says he will foster positive working relationships with county and city officials and improve relationships between law enforcement and the community to rebuild their trust. He says he also cares about true financial governance and responsible spending of taxpayer dollars. You can read more about where Jones stands on the issues that matter most to you here.

Election Day is Nov. 3.

Click here or visit ClickOrlando.com/results2020 to learn more about what you can expect to see on your ballot.

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