Bias-Free Policing

At the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, our mission is to give every resident and visitor professional service and equal treatment under the law, regardless of personal characteristics. We are committed to unbiased policing in every encounter we have with the public.

Biased policing happens when an officer, whether intentionally or not, makes a decision or takes police action based on race, ethnic background, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, socio-economic status, age, disability, political status, or any other legally protected characteristic, rather than on articulable facts or specific criminal information. That absence of facts separates biased policing from a legitimate investigation.

Our deputies rely on training, experience and documented facts, not assumptions, to build probable cause and identify suspects during a criminal investigation. Legitimate investigative work is grounded in specific evidence: patterns of activity, physical evidence, witness statements and documented behavior.

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office does not condone biased policing by any of its deputies. It is prohibited everywhere we work, including traffic stops, field contacts, searches and seizures, asset seizure and forfeiture, and any other contact with the public. Biased policing violates the constitutional rights of the people we serve and undermines legitimate law enforcement work.

Our accountability does not stop at a written policy. Supervisors provide ongoing oversight of enforcement activity and stay alert for any pattern of biased treatment by an individual deputy or a squad, and they are encouraged to review deputies’ recordings to confirm compliance. Every year the Community Policing Division Chief reviews our traffic stop procedures and how we handle complaints from the public, and that review is forwarded to the Sheriff. The Professional Standards Unit also reports a summary of every biased policing complaint made. This year’s review is published here for anyone to read: 2025 Biased Policing Review Report.

All laws are enforced equally, regardless of a person’s race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, economic status, background, age or culture. Biased policing is not tolerated and is a violation of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office General Order 35. This standard is established in accordance with FSS 30.15, FSS 166.0493 and CFA Standard 2.06M

If you have any questions, or would like more information regarding the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s bias-free policing policy contact us below.