💰 Destin approved a $3.3 million sheriff’s contract, an 8% increase over last year.
🗣️ Councilmembers debated fairness of deputy raises vs. city staff and whether costs are sustainable.
🌴 Leaders raised concerns that tourists, not locals, drive most police calls and should share more of the cost.
DESTIN — The Destin City Council voted 5–1 Monday night to approve a $3.3 million law enforcement contract with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, but not before voicing sharp concerns over the nearly 8% increase and whether the city can sustain similar hikes in the years ahead.
The one-year agreement, effective Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026, maintains the current staffing of 16 patrol deputies, two investigators, one front desk deputy, one marine patrol deputy, and one community resource deputy based out of the Destin substation.
The city will pay the Sheriff’s Office $3,305,058 in 12 monthly installments, up from $3,063,695 in fiscal 2025. The Item Report presented by Finance Director Krystal Strickland noted the increase is reflected in the city’s proposed FY26 budget.
Councilmembers pressed Sheriff’s Capt. Jason Fulghum explained why deputies received a 6% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), whereas Destin employees saw only 2–3%.
“They want double the cost of living that we’re paying our local staff,” Councilmember Torey Geile said. He argued the city is being asked to approve raises for deputies that far outpace what Destin staff receive.
Fulghum countered that the Sheriff’s Office needs the 6% adjustment to remain competitive.
“We have to have a 6% COLA increase to stay competitive with the market,” he said. “Otherwise, we’re going to start hemorrhaging deputies to Walton County.”
Councilmember Jim Bagby, who cast the lone dissenting vote, warned that Destin is “getting into an unsustainable area” if the city continues to approve annual increases of 7–8%.
He suggested tying future contract hikes to either the federal consumer price index (CPI) or growth in the city’s property values, whichever is higher, as a cap.
“At some point, we either have to cut back a deputy or two,” Bagby said. “If we did the 5% this year … I’d be willing to lose one deputy, just because we have to contain costs.”
Councilmember Rodney Braden focused on the role of tourists in driving demand for police services. With 14,000 residents but more than 35,000 calls for service annually, he said most calls are linked to visitors, not locals.
“Those are tourists. They need to be paying you guys for the service,” Braden said, suggesting higher short-term rental fees and parking rates to offset the city’s rising law enforcement bill. “When we’re sitting here talking to you about trying to find where we’re gonna pay you another $200,000 a year … start charging tourists a part of it.”
Geile also questioned whether the Sheriff’s Office was responsive enough to enforcing city-specific codes, arguing Destin deputies sometimes overlook violations that the council has deemed priorities.
Fulghum pushed back, saying deputies cannot be pulled from public safety duties to enforce codes such as beach vending rules, warning that doing so could leave them unavailable during emergencies.
“I don’t want to stand on the beach and explain to a lady why her 16-year-old son got beat up … because I was 200 yards down the beach arresting someone for selling ice cream to a four-year-old,” Fulghum said. “That’s why I don’t want to get involved in code enforcement.”
Fulghum emphasized that Destin receives additional supervisory staff and support positions, lieutenants, sergeants, corporals, communications officers, and crime scene staff, at no direct cost to the city.
He argued that those contributions, along with Tourist Development District-funded marine and beach patrols, help subsidize Destin’s coverage.
“The primary responsibility of government is to protect the citizens,” Fulghum told council members. “We’re the arm that y’all choose to utilize to protect it. If y’all aren’t satisfied with the level of service or the money it’s costing … y’all can go out and look at your police department. But you’re not going to get a more professional law enforcement agency for less money.”
After nearly 50 minutes of back-and-forth, Mayor Bobby Wagner called the vote, calling the decision “the definition of a rock and a hard place.”
The council voted 5–1 in favor, with Bagby dissenting.
Pro Communi Bono
St. Francis De Sales, Ora Pro Nobis!
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