Fort Walton Beach Police Open Doors with Citizensโ Police Academy

The Fort Walton Beach Police Department is launching its next Citizensโ Police Academy on Feb. 5, offering residents a behind-the-scenes look at policing.
Fort Walton Beach Man, Ole Miss DB Arrested in Andalusia

An Ole Miss football player from Fort Walton Beach was arrested in Andalusia after police stopped his vehicle for speeding at 111 mph.
Fort Walton Beach voters to decide on charter amendments in March 2025

Fort Walton Beach City Council has approved six charter-related ordinances that will go before voters in a March 10, 2026, referendum, asking residents to decide on changes to city elections, governance rules, elected official compensation, administrative language, and budget limits.
Fort Walton Beach recommends elevated flyover option for “Around the Mound” project

With billions in traffic, military access, and downtown development on the line, Fort Walton Beach leaders say this may be their one shot to get the U.S. 98 reroute right.
Fatal Shooting Under Investigation in Mary Esther

Deputies found a woman dead inside a Kanuha Drive home after a late-night 9-1-1 call. Investigators are working to determine what happened.
Palmer Seeks Public Input on Holiday Isle Park

Commissioner Palmer invites Okaloosa residents to a Dec. 30 town hall to give input on a new 4-acre Holiday Isle waterfront park.
Hope in the Cold: How Local Leaders Protect the Unhoused

When winter temperatures drop below 40 degrees in Fort Walton Beach, a coordinated effort between One Hopeful Place and the Fort Walton Beach Police Department springs into action to protect people experiencing homelessness from dangerous conditions.
CCA Florida and Okaloosa County Team Up for Redfish Release

Destin-Fort Walton Beach and CCA Florida released 25,000 juvenile redfish into Cinco Bayou to boost declining populations, improve ecosystems, and support local anglers.
Deputies Probe Possible Link Between Fort Walton Shootings

Deputies Probe Possible Link Between Fort Walton Shootings Staff Reports December 16, 2025 5:24 pm Crime, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa County In Brief: Deputies responded to a shooting on Fenwick Drive, where multiple rounds were fired at a pedestrian who was not located. Several nearby homes and properties were struck by gunfire during the incident. […]
Gunfire Erupts on Dates Avenue, Two Injured Inside Fort Walton Beach Home

The Okaloosa County Sheriffโs Office is investigating an early morning shooting on Dates Avenue in Fort Walton Beach after unknown suspects fired multiple rounds into a home, injuring two people inside.