In a recent interview, Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons shared insights on how his office is adapting to new immigration enforcement responsibilities, enhancing public safety at local events, and expanding community engagement initiatives.
New Immigration Enforcement Role
Sheriff Simmons discussed the implementation of SB 2C, which allows local law enforcement to become more involved in immigration enforcement. The Sheriff’s Office has signed a memorandum of understanding with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that will eventually enable deputies to serve administrative warrants for immigration violations.
BACKGROUND: Florida Senate Bill SB 2C, signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis on February 13, has significantly impacted county sheriffs and immigration enforcement in Florida. Sheriffs now have increased duties related to immigration enforcement, including identifying and detaining criminal illegal immigrants. A grant program has been created to reimburse law enforcement agencies for expenses associated with enforcing federal immigration law. The bill created the State Board of Immigration Enforcement and an advisory council to guide local law enforcement agencies.
“We’ve been having this discussion with all the sheriffs throughout the state because there’s a lot of moving parts, and it’s fluid,” Simmons explained.
The process requires specialized “287(g)” training for corrections employees or deputies to serve administrative warrants for individuals without state charges. Simmons noted that approximately 700,000 administrative warrants have been placed in the National Crime Intelligence Center database, allowing deputies to identify individuals with outstanding immigration warrants.
- While the Sheriff’s Office is still working out implementation details, Simmons indicated they would likely train members of their existing warrant section rather than create an entirely new unit.
Enhanced Security for Beach Events
Following the New Year’s domestic terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Sheriff Simmons has increased security measures for public events, including the Mardi Gras parade at Pensacola Beach.
- “You always try to learn from situations as they happen,” Simmons said. “We borrow from other incidents that take place throughout the country, throughout the world.”
For the beach parade, which spans less than a mile, the Sheriff’s Office deployed about 50 deputies and fixed assets like barricades and mobile response capabilities.
The department is also expanding its surveillance capabilities, working with the Island Authority to install cameras on the boardwalk area to be tied to the real-time crime center this year, with plans to add cameras to the Casino Beach area.
- “I’m very excited about the cooperation,” Simmons said. “I’m very excited about the work that we’ve put in the technology mending or melding with the manpower.”
Budget Negotiations and Staffing
Sheriff Simmons reported positive progress in budget negotiations with the county commission as his current three-year agreement expires. While not revealing specific details, he expressed confidence that public safety remains a high priority for Escambia County.
- “This is where I think the needs are not just today, not just in 2025, but also in 2030, whether I’m here or not,” Simmons said.
On staffing, Simmons proudly noted that his department has overcome previous challenges with vacancies. With only six current openings and more candidates in the pipeline, he expects to be fully staffed when the next training academy begins in late March.
Community Engagement Initiatives
In his second term, Sheriff Simmons is building on successful community programs while looking to expand their reach:
– The Blazer Academy program will continue with both boys’ and girls’ sessions, and will add an alumni component to reconnect with past participants
– The popular “Dream Big” program for ages 5 to 11 will be expanded to two sessions after the first filled up within two hours
– Community movie nights will continue with a focus on reaching neighborhoods where residents can walk to attend
– A new mini-auditorium is being developed in the former camera visitation building to host neighborhood associations, safety workshops, and training sessions
The sheriff said of the repurposed building, “When we do our safety in a place of worship, we do our neighborhood watch academies, we do these things, we can get people in there and have a big screen behind me. I can show them videos, we can do some how-tos. This, to me, is taking that next step of having the sheriff’s office become very much a part of the community.”
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