Utilities

Bradford County has three electric providers to choose from: City of Starke, Clay Electric and Florida Power & Light (FPL).

Fire Protection

There are 6 volunteer and 1 full time fire stations throughout the County with approximately 105 volunteer personnel, and 9 full-time and part-time employees, equipped with 26 vehicles and 3-staffed ambulances. EMS is a third service with 12 full time paramedics.

Starke Police Department

Since becoming Chief of Police in 2001, the Starke Police Department has grown tremendously and currently employs twenty full time officers, nine part-time officers and seven support personnel, including our communications department. This Department embraces the community and is always seeking individuals who are willing to perform at the highest level of professionalism. We are truly driven by the pride and commitment of our professional personnel. Through the effort of this department, the City of Starke is currently experiencing it's lowest rate of crime within the past thirty years. The Starke Police Department is recognized as a leader in the Law Enforcement community due to our innovative ways of educating the community and enforcing the laws. For two consecutive year we have placed third in the State of Florida in the “Police Chief’s Challenge”, which recognizes the efforts and effectiveness of law enforcement agencies in such areas as education, training, and community awareness efforts.

While we are dedicated to the effort of keeping up with the rapid advances of technology, we are also dedicated to the principal of valuing our personnel. To that end, we promote constant training to provide the highest standard of professional and efficient service with an emphasis on compassion and care for the citizens we have taken an oath to serve.

We have work with the school system by placing one full time officer within the schools as a D.A.R.E. officer. This enables our officer to work with the children of this community to raise awareness of drug use and how to resist peer pressure among other issues. The officer also counsels children who are having difficulties at school or at home. This enable our officer a unique format in which to aid the community by enlisting the help of the school, along with the parents, to educate and reinforce the values that will build a stronger community.

Thank to grants such as V.O.C.A., the Starke Police Department has been able to provide this community with the much needed services of our Victim Advocate, Bob Clayton, which assists victims of crime and disasters, by arranging counseling and locating other services that would aid in the healing process. Bob is also our Crime Prevention Officer. He assists the community by providing information on how they can prevent crime and offers safety information.

K-ID Card System

Child identification system that allows your child’s information to be stored information to be stored in a database, that if your child ever goes missing their information can be transmitted to all law enforcement and news agencies that have internet service. The parents/guardians receive a hard plastic card, similar to a driver’s license, with their child’s photo and information printed on it.

L.O.C.A.T.O.R. SYSTEM

This system works by scanning photos of missing person to create and send flyers to help locate them, it also alerts other agencies with the system of missing persons in outside areas. It also works with the K-ID card systems allowing flyers to be distributed quickly throughout the community.

CHILD-SEAT INSTALLATION

One of the greatest concerns of mine as the Chief of Police arose at one of our many DUI/Safety Checkpoints, when a vehicle was cited for failure to properly restrain a child. I vowed that no child in my community would ever have to risk their life due to their parent’s inability to purchase a child safety seat. We have three certified child-seat technicians at our department, with more officers being trained in May, to aid the public in installing their child’s safety seat in their vehicle. Most injuries to a child occur due to improper installation of the child-seat. Beginning in June, Child Safety Seats will be available to all citizens who are unable to afford the cost of this crucial safety device.

MORNING CALL-IN PROGRAM

This is a list of people who call into the police station in the morning hours before noon to verify that they are well. If they do not call in by noon, our dispatch center sends an officer to see if they are in need of medical assistance. This program is offered to all citizens of Bradford County.

All programs that are offered here at the Starke Police Department are free of charge. They we created to insure the safety of our community and new programs will be created to address any issues that arise during my term as Chief of Police.

Bradford County Sheriff's Department

The Sheriff’s department sponsors a very active Explorer Post consisting of young people between the ages 12-18. They also have a Mounted Posse consisting of employees and citizen volunteers who ride horses, very helpful in locating lost children, adults, crowd control, and working remote crime scenes. The Sheriff’s office runs a citizen’s academy once a year where citizens can learn much more about what goes on in their Sheriff’s Office.