The lone Deputy

I guess I am the only one from WCSO that found this. I feel so lonely....

For those of you wondering...crime does occur in walton county!

It does? What's it like up there? I'm looking to retire and move from central FL in 3 years.

Polk Deputy

I am currently in the academy in Pensacola, looking for some info on Walton County outside the official channels.

How are things as far as....

morale

training

equipment(cars, mdt's, weapons etc) tasers?

call load

"problem areas" that are enough of a problem to keep you busy on the slow nights, meaning somewhere you can do some proactive work.

how does the admin treat use of force? for the cops still or play the kiss the publics a** game?

shifts and days off?

specialized units? K-9, air, etc.

is the sheriff good, decent or terrible?

how many sworn?

To anyone who answers, thanks.

WCSO is a department with growing pains. The department was about 60 sworn in 02 and now has grown to around 180 sworn. The department has just recently increased their salary to 32,000 with paid vacation, mil leave. Morale is good because supervisors leave you alone for the most part. Security checks on business's and residential areas is stressed. The call volume is slow between oct-may. After memorial day to october is is crazy due to the influx of vacationers to south walton for the beaches. The scenery is beautiful and I believe it is a great place to work if you are burned out with the fast pace, high call volume and having your supervisor down your back all the time.

Hope this helps....

I just found this site as well. I work at WCSO too and have been here for just over a year.

I agree with WCSO Deputy, morale is pretty good, supervisors let you do your thing and there is good comraderie in the dept. Pay is getting better, good vehicles, MCT's, etc. Sorry no tasers, but its rumored we'll getting them sometime in the future. Not all vehicles have radar units (bummer) but as WCSO Deputy said we are a growing agency and growing pains are to be expected.

For more info check out the department's website it has been updated.

http://www.waltonso.org/home.html


A Few more answers for you:

Every Friday is a designated training day so at least one shift will be in training and it’s rotated between the squads. We recently had our firing range completed and a live fire training shoot house is under construction.

Use of force issues are handled SOP, use the force necessary to stop the threat. If you can articulate why you did what you did you should have no problems.

We work a four and three schedule. Four days on three days off, ten hour shifts.

Dayshift 7a-5p
Evenings 3p-1a
Midnights 9p -7a

So there’s some overlap each shift, the shifts are permanent, meaning if you work dayshift you stay dayshift forever. The breakdown is work Tues, Weds, Thurs, Fri, off Sat, Sun Mon or work Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, off Tues, Weds, Thur. However, the squads rotate days off every three months so no one gets off permanent weekends.

The website can give you info on the specialized units, but we do have traffic, narcotics, K-9, air, and beach patrol units.

You are issued all equipment except shoes; the department also provides a Beretta 40 cal and shotgun. Assault rifles (AR-15’s), etc. are your responsibility to purchase if you want to carry one, but you will need approval from the sheriff prior to doing so. Glock 40 cal’s were recently purchased but there is no word yet on when we will qual and carry.

I’m not going to go into what areas are problems areas but suffice to say that even in the rural parts of the county a proactive deputy can find something to get into.

Polk County Deputy,

The pace is not as fast as your probably use too and I don’t know if you would get more money based on your experience. I didn’t for military time but you may.

Hope this helps…….

Is there a step pay plan? Are off duty details prevalent throughout the year?

There is a step pay plan and off-duty details are plentiful. From spring break thru October is the busiest. November thru January it slows down but you can still average about 5-6 per month.

I am thinking of retiring from my current agency in a little while. I want to move where it is a little quieter than South Florida is. My spouse has heard that the area is a bunch of good old boys and red necks. How much truth is there to this?

Your wife is correct! If you retire here bring a banjo and you will fit in just fine. Seriously though, there is still a lot of that good ole boy, redneck mentality throughout the county. Its especially prevelent in the northern (Paxton, DeFuniak Springs, etc.) part of the county, but not as much in the southern (Santa Rosa Beach) part of the county.

I have only been in Walton county for a little over a year and that mentality was very obvious when I first began working here, everybody knows everybody or is somehow related to one another. Now I don't encounter that as much so maybe it's beginning to wane or I've just become accustomed to that atmosphere.

My advice for you is to take a little vacation time and spend a few days checking the area out. However, I used to be stationed in Tampa in the military and life in Central/South Florida is way more busier and hectic than it is in Walton county.

Lastly, if you like hunting/fishing you will love it, but if you into the live performance plays/theater, concerts and other like events frequently held down south you won't get it up north.

Hope that helps...

So I wonder why I put in my application is before I finish standards, only to hear that I'm too early.....then I finish standaards and pass my state test, only to hear I'm too late??? Yet the ageny is hiring?? Yet I get hired with a PD but not the SO?

A little background....

I follow my in-laws down here from the Northeast in hopes of making a better life. I apply as stated above, and nothing happens. I've been down here for a lmost two years, so I have an idea of how things work. Is it the good-ole boy thing? Maybe, maybe not.....maybe they just didn't like what I had to offer....

Should I keep trying? I've since been hired with a PD (not Defuniak!!!) for about four months, but I'd love to stay in county......as of now, I have to move to be closer to my agency.

Kinda p*sses me off a little..... :x

I'd give them another call to see what's going on with your app. I know for a fact they just hired a few poeple and some are still only enrolled in the academy and haven't gotten to the point where they could test for standards.

So good ole boy action still goes on, but I don't know what to tell you.

When you call to check your status ask for Lt. Prater he's in charge of admin and the hiring process.

I'd give them another call to see what's going on with your app. I know for a fact they just hired a few poeple and some are still only enrolled in the academy and haven't gotten to the point where they could test for standards.

So good ole boy action still goes on, but I don't know what to tell you.

When you call to check your status ask for Lt. Prater he's in charge of admin and the hiring process.

Thanks, I appreciate it! I put a call in today, so I'll keep you posted.

BTW, what zone or area do you work?

As a retired Broward Co. Deputy Sheriff and a former Walton Co. Deputy, I have written a book about my personal experiences with both agencies. A lot of the stories are humorous and a lot of others will open your eyes to the power corruption and abuse of power behind the scenes! I myself would never have believed these incidences to be factual if I hadn't actually experienced them! I have been told by many that the book is well written and very very informative; which does truly remove the veil of secrecy. The book can be ordered from my website www.honoraboveallelse.org (http://www.honoraboveallelse.org) for an autographed copy.....also through Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Don't get me wrong, I truly enjoyed my 35 yrs. in law enforcement and the majority of the people I worked with. As for me, I feel like I was a big part of "The Greatest Show On Earth!"

Dennis Wise

As a retired Broward Co. Deputy Sheriff and a former Walton Co. Deputy, I have written a book about my personal experiences with both agencies. A lot of the stories are humorous and a lot of others will open your eyes to the power corruption and abuse of power behind the scenes! I myself would never have believed these incidences to be factual if I hadn't actually experienced them! I have been told by many that the book is well written and very very informative; which does truly remove the veil of secrecy. The book can be ordered from my website www.honoraboveallelse.org (http://www.honoraboveallelse.org) for an autographed copy.....also through Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Don't get me wrong, I truly enjoyed my 35 yrs. in law enforcement and the majority of the people I worked with. As for me, I feel like I was a big part of "The Greatest Show On Earth!"

Dennis Wise

I have known the author of this book for many years. I can verify the authenticity of many of the tales from first hand knowledge and from reputable resources other than the author. I have read the book. I have had some of the same freaky kinds of things happen at the agencies I have worked. The book is interesting reading. I encourage everyone to read it. It is very interesting. Some of it was very eye opening. I have been "on the job" for over 20 years myself. It has definitely been interesting. I would not change professions with anyone. It is the best ride for the money, even with the politics, lousy pay, etc.

I was wondering if the WCSO offers health insurance? If so, is it free or what is the cost? Who is the health care provider.

Yes, they offer health insurance, its free for the deputy, but you have a co-pay for medical treatment. If you have family members you want to enroll as well I think its around $300.00 a month for the family plan, but I'm not too sure since I don't have the department's famliy plan. The provider is Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Florida.

Dental insurance is $68.00 a month for the family plan. You pick your dentist. The provider is United Concordia.

There is no vision plan.

Hope that helps...

What about Courtesy Officer places at the local beach front condos and apartments, or any place in Walton County for that matter?

[K9Iam]

Panhandle Po-Po,

I have family in Walton County and I was thinking about moving back. I have 9 years of experience in Georgia. In addition, I have already passed the FL State exam.

Do you know how long the hiring process is?

How do the supervisors feel about being proactive? I love traffic enforcement. I have gotten more arrest off traffic stops than answering calls. LOL

Finally yet importantly, is WCSO hiring now? With all this tax stuff, many agencies are only accepting applications.

Thanks for answering my questions

K9

K9Iam,

I've been here a little over one year; when I applied I was called a week after I turned in my application and sworn in by the Sheriff during the interview. I gave notice to my old job and started two weeks later(I did all the preemployment medical/admin stuff during those two weeks). We have a new Lt. in charge of admin and the hiring process so I don't know how fast the process is now, but I don't think its changed too much. If you put in your application, periodically call to check on its status.

Supervisors don't mind you being proactive, but the Sheriff doesn't want normal patrol units to focus primarily on traffic enforcement. His view is that's what the traffic unit is for. Right now the focus for patrol units is to be visible in and around neighborhoods on side/back streets and doing the security checks required for your assigned zone. However, you can still do a fair amount of traffic enforcement, but don't over do it!

I believe we are still actively hiring; in the last month they have hired around five deupties, two of which routinely call out indicating they are attending the academy so I know they don't even have their Florida cert's. yet.

K9Iam,

Forgot to add the reason I don't think the hiring process changed much is that of the few new hires I've met, most said it took around a month to be hired once they dropped the app's.

First off, I am glad I found this site!!

Anyways, I was wondering if the deputies are allowed to add extra stuff to their patrol cars (Lights, sirens, etc)? My agency lets us do it if we pay for the lights, but I just get the Free stuff from FHP surplus. :D

Thanks for any info!

FlDep4U,

Yes you are allowed to add that stuff to your cruiser, I've put in deck/dash/side LED's as well. I want to get some grill and rear license plate LED's later. FHP surplus; can you hook me up on how to check that out as well?

Thanx...

Adding that extra stuff is at your own expense here too.

[K9Iam]

Panhandle Po-Po,

What is the phone number to HR and who do I need to talk to?

Thanks
K9

FlDep4U,

Yes you are allowed to add that stuff to your cruiser, I've put in deck/dash/side LED's as well. I want to get some grill and rear license plate LED's later. FHP surplus; can you hook me up on how to check that out as well?

Thanx...

Thanks!

Contact Troop A in Panama City (main office) and ask for the fleet surplus phone number. You can get strobes, leds, Smart Sirens, partitions, etc... The list is endless.

First off, I am glad I found this site!!

Anyways, I was wondering if the deputies are allowed to add extra stuff to their patrol cars (Lights, sirens, etc)? My agency lets us do it if we pay for the lights, but I just get the Free stuff from FHP surplus. :D

Thanks for any info!

Where do you get ahold of the FHP surplus stuff?

FLDep4U,

The HR contact person is Mrs. Viola Cooper. The S.O. is in the process of moving into a new headquarters building so I don't know HR's new telephone number. Call administration at 850-892-8186 and they should be able to get you their number.

First off, I am glad I found this site!!

Anyways, I was wondering if the deputies are allowed to add extra stuff to their patrol cars (Lights, sirens, etc)? My agency lets us do it if we pay for the lights, but I just get the Free stuff from FHP surplus. :D

Thanks for any info!

Where do you get ahold of the FHP surplus stuff?

I get mine from the surplus shop in Bradford County...

FLDep4U,

The HR contact person is Mrs. Viola Cooper. The S.O. is in the process of moving into a new headquarters building so I don't know HR's new telephone number. Call administration at 850-892-8186 and they should be able to get you their number.

10-4, Thank you! :D

[K9Iam]

Panhandle Po-Po,

Thanks for the information. I have to give it some more thought. I will be taking a pay cut if I am hired. If I remember right you said the starting pay was 32,000 a year. I need to see if I can afford to live on that. What about off duty details? How much do they pay on average? Also, what about house rentals?


Thanks,
K9

Thanks for the information. I have to give it some more thought. I will be taking a pay cut if I am hiried. If I remember right you said the starting pay was 32,000 a year. I need to see if I can afford to live on that. What about off duty details? How much do they pay on average? Also, what about house rentals?


Off-duty details are available, its busier during the spring break time frame (Feb-May) and you can pull in around 1500.00 per month. Between Jun-Oct its okay and you can average around 700.00 per month. Nov-Jan it slows down and you may only have around 4 details per month, but people are always looking to get rid of details for one reason or another.

Details pay 25.00 per hour.

I don't live in county so I don't know what the rental prices are. In my area you can get a good place in a good neighborhood for around 1000.00 a month.

I don't think I would take a pay cut to come here, I'd probably be content just visiting my relatives that lived here. By the way we only get paid once a month, which sucks, but I guess I'm use to it now.

PPP

Off-duty details are available. Its busier during the spring break time frame (Feb-May) and you can pull in around 1500.00 per month. Between Jun-Oct its okay and you can average around 700.00 per month. Nov-Jan it slows down and you may only have around 4 details per month. You can probably make more those amounts becuase people are always looking to get rid of details for one reason or another. I've made around 10,000.00 in the year I've been doing details.

Details pay 25.00 per hour.

I don't live in county so I don't know what the rental prices are. In my area you can get a good place in a good neighborhood for around 1000.00 a month.

I don't think I would take a pay cut to come here, I'd probably be content just visiting my relatives that lived here. By the way we only get paid once a month, which sucks, but I guess I'm use to it now.

PPP

Panhandle Po-Po:

What Union are ya'll with? I couldn't find a FOP lodge in Walton county.

We have the GOB: (Good Ol' Boy) representation :!:

Sorry, no union here, the WCSO hasn't come that far yet. With 250 sworn personnel hopefully we'll get a union sometime in the not too distant future.

It will probably have to wait for an administration change; there is still a lot of that "this is how we used to do it" mentality.

PPP

Walton County has plently of lodges, but only if your looking for a Masonic lodge, not a FOP lodge. I think the closest FOP lodge is in Okaloosa County.

Quite a few WCSO deputies are members of the Masonic lodge and our #1 holds a very high position within the Masonic organization. Not to say that, that impacts deputy membership though.

But, in my opinion that is where the GOB network has its foundation. I can't remember how many times I've been on a call and have been approached by someone saying "good job" I'll tell #1 about you.

When I first came here I was :? when people said that, but soon realized what they meant and how they were connected.

PPP

I don't know whether that is a good thing or not.

I just pray to God ya'll don't ever go with Teamsters... That is a horror story within itself, and plus they will take you on a magic carpet ride when it comes to your pension.

Thanks for the info!

Well since I just thought of this, are ya'll allowed to have tint in your cars?

What kind of duty gear is issued?

Have they put those Glocks in service yet, are ya'll since with the Berettas?

Yes, we can our windows at our expense, but only the rear windows not the front driver/passenger. Screw that, I'm all about my comfort. I'm not going to waste my money tinting the back windows when I don't care if those being transported have the sun beating down on them or can be seen by the public.

We are issued ugly ass leather basket weave styled duty gear. The worst part is the belt, which has an old west gunslinger style buckle attachment sewn to the front part. Its a b***h to get your cuff cases, etc. past that attachment piece.

They got around 400 Glock 40's in March; was supposed to have everyone re-qual so we could get rid of the Berretta's, but it hasn't happened yet. New hires are issued the Glocks though.

I have been a deputy 21 years and My wife is a Fort Lauderdale PO. I am thinking about moving to the panhandle someday. I was checking your thread and I feel envious.. I have worked the jail, road patrol and I am currently an SRO at a middle school. I can taste the relaxation just looking at your agency's web site. I am getting tired going to funnerals down here.. I will have my 25 years in soon and I will be 47. Not too old to start a second retirement. I am fluent in spanish.. Do you have latins in your community. Just wondering... :)

I no longer work at Walton SO, but all the counties up here are being over run by spanish speakers. Sad thing Walton SO has (no, nada, zippo) spanish speakers in the department (unless they hired one after 09/01/07 when I left). Prior to that they had one, but he also went to another agency. If you speak spanish you'd be a hot commodity at Walton SO. However, I don't know if fulfilling the role as a spanish speaking interpreter for the agency comes with any incentive pay.

I enjoyed my time there at Walton SO. Could some things have been better? Sure! But, you will always find areas for improvement no matter which agency you work at. And, in case your wondering, I left because I live in a neighboring county and I wanted to work where I live.

PPP

I no longer work at Walton SO, but all the counties up here are being over run by spanish speakers. Sad thing Walton SO has (no, nada, zippo) spanish speakers in the department (unless they hired one after 09/01/07 when I left). Prior to that they had one, but he also went to another agency. If you speak spanish you'd be a hot commodity at Walton SO. However, I don't know if fulfilling the role as a spanish speaking interpreter for the agency comes with any incentive pay.

I enjoyed my time there at Walton SO. Could some things have been better? Sure! But, you will always find areas for improvement no matter which agency you work at. And, in case your wondering, I left because I live in a neighboring county and I wanted to work where I live.

PPP
Thanks for the info.. I don't get incentive pay down here for it and I really would not expect it up there. I just wanted to know my chances of getting hired. I have a clean slate in Broward no problems or baggage. Just want to relax for a change and not be micro managed... All they want down here is stats.. If you get killed on the job, oh well your replaced the next day. Wife and I both speak spanish and are highly trained in police work. Plenty of experince and combat under are belt. I just want things to slow down a bit and not deal with everyday madness, Your lucky if you can go 10-40 without being pulled away to 10-65 a 10-33 call. I figure do another 5 years and pull the plug. Sit it out for 1 year and get on with another S.O. agency up there. I don't want to apply for an agency with drama if you know what I mean.. Take care and stay safe. :wink:

Mil-Man, have you worked with a county near Walton in the past? You sound familiar. Does "Semper Fi" mean anything to you? If so, how is it going?