Walton County Sheriff's Office: 600-Person Operation

The Walton County Sheriff's Office operates three main divisions serving the county's residents and visitors. Sheriff Michael A. Adkinson, Jr. supervises over 600 professionals including sworn deputies, firefighters, paramedics, detention officers, and animal control staff.

The Public Safety Operations Division handles law enforcement, fire rescue, detention, and animal services. Law enforcement deputies patrol all four county districts, investigate major crimes and narcotics cases, and station resource officers in county schools. The office also provides security at the Walton County Courthouse in DeFuniak Springs and the South Walton Courthouse Annex in Santa Rosa Beach.

Walton County Fire Rescue delivers emergency medical services and fire suppression north of the Choctawhatchee Bay, covering nine of twelve fire districts in that area.

The Jail Operations Bureau manages the Walton County Jail in DeFuniak Springs, providing detention, medical care, mental health services, and inmate programs. Animal Services responds to calls involving stray, lost, and abandoned animals throughout the county and operates the Walton County Animal Shelter.

The Emergency Services Division coordinates countywide emergency response through the 911 Call Center, which handles over 150,000 emergency and non-emergency calls annually. The division also manages emergency preparedness planning, maintains criminal records, and oversees Walton Air Rescue, an air ambulance service operated in partnership with Air Methods.

The Administrative Division provides internal support through Human Resources, Finance, Fleet and Purchasing, Facilities Management, Information Technology, and the Public Information Office.