Despite Challenges, Time To Be Thankful

As we prepare to celebrate the winter holidays, it’s a good time to look back and see where we have come, despite two devastating, back-to-back hurricanes, and renew our hope for the new year in our country and here in Volusia County.

Looking back over these months, I’m reminded of how grateful I am for the men and women in the Volusia Sheriff’s Office who are committed to protecting the safety of all, no matter the cost. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Yes, we have endured crisis upon crisis this year, including the evolution of variants during the pandemic. Thankfully, we worked together to weather the destruction of hurricanes Ian and Nicole, and we’re helping our neighbors in need as they rebuild and recover.

Even as the storms of life continue, you might want to stop and think about what you’re most grateful for. Go a step further: Tell the people who matter most to you.
 

Here are a few things I am grateful for, in no particular order:

• Continued safety and health of all the sworn officers and civilians in our agency, and the peaceful resolution of so many potentially dangerous calls.
• Our Volusia Sheriff’s Office Training Academy, which we launched in 2021. We’ve put together a training program that’s second to none. We’re investing in deputies from the beginning: We pay recruits, train them, and prepare them for a rewarding career in modern law enforcement. We’re recruiting now for our fourth class of deputies, which begins in March 2023. (Accepting applications now at Becomeadeputy.com until Jan. 2. Do you know a good candidate for deputy?)
• United State veterans who sacrificed so much for us, throughout our nation’s history. And for the many who paid the ultimate price. They deserve to be honored and appreciated all year long.
• Law enforcement officers throughout our nation who are committed to protecting their communities. For those we mourn as they gave their lives for our safety—at least 238 this year. Of those, 24 were K9s, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page www.odmp.org which tracks line of duty deaths. May God bless and comfort their loved ones who are left behind.\
• My parents; my daughters, and my grandchildren.

These are not easy days to be in law enforcement. We have the best law enforcement officers and staff in the country right here in Volusia County, and they deserve every bit of support and gratitude we can give them. Volusia County is proof that their hard work is paying off. We have to keep striving, but I couldn’t be more proud of the incredible work our people have done to make huge improvements in fighting crime in our community.

I want each of you to know how proud you should be of the deputies and police you have patrolling your streets and protecting your neighborhoods.

May God bless each of you, your friends and families, and our great nation. Let’s be kind to each other. Please reach out to those in need.

Best wishes for a healthy,
happy 2023,
Sheriff Mike Chitwood