PALM COAST, Fla. – Families had a chance to climb aboard law enforcement vehicles, meet first responders and learn more about the agencies working to protect them Saturday as the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office hosted its annual Safety Expo at the European Village in Palm Coast.
But behind the hands-on displays and family fun was a larger purpose: strengthening relationships between law enforcement and the community — relationships Sheriff Rick Staly and Commander Mike Lutz say play an important role in keeping Flagler County safe.
“We come out here to interact with the community,” Staly said. “It’s a great free day for families to come out here.”
Staly said the Sheriff’s Office started the Safety Expo about eight years ago and has held the event at European Village for the past several years. The expo brings together the Sheriff’s Office with fire departments, Crime Stoppers, PAL and other community groups and agencies.
“It’s a way to learn about the sheriff’s office, a way to learn how to keep yourself safe, your families safe,” Staly said. “The good thing is that it’s working, because our crime rate has dropped significantly. But it’s because we have an engaged community that helps us.”
Lutz said crime is down more than 54% since Staly took office and continues to trend downward, something he also connected to the relationship between the agency and residents.
“The reason why is, we have a good relationship with the community, and this is one of the ways of doing that,” Lutz said.
That relationship-building begins early.
For children, the expo offered an opportunity to see law enforcement in a setting far different from an emergency. They could explore vehicles and equipment and interact directly with deputies, firefighters and other public safety professionals.
“It’s good to interact with them at a young age,” Lutz said. “So they look at us as partners, so to speak, as something to look up to, somebody to go to when they’re in trouble.”
Lutz pointed to the expansion of School Resource Deputies as another way the agency has increased interaction with young people. While SRDs were once primarily found in high schools, he said deputies are now in every public school and the charter school, giving students contact with law enforcement from kindergarten through high school.
Those positive connections, he said, can have a lasting impact.
“When they get older, then a lot of them will either become law enforcement, or go into emergency management, or just have a good relationship with their local law enforcement agency,” Lutz said. “And that keeps them safer, keeps us safer and keeps the whole community safe.”
Steven McDaniels attended the expo with his daughters, giving them a chance to learn about law enforcement, firefighters and other community safety professionals.
McDaniels said events like the expo can help overcome distrust by giving residents and law enforcement an opportunity to talk face-to-face.
“I think it’s very important, because, you know, there could be a lot of distrust of police officers,” McDaniels said. “So I think it’s important that they build relationships with the people in that community, talk with them, and show them that they do care about them. I mean, it’s a good thing.”
Mezzaluna owner Vera DiBitetto also welcomed the family-friendly event at European Village.
“Oh, I love it,” DiBitetto said. “It’s great for the kids. You get them fingerprinted. I think it’s wonderful.”
The expo also strengthened connections among the agencies residents rely on during emergencies. Representatives from organizations including the Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and fire departments joined the Sheriff’s Office at the event.
