The new sheriff’s office administration building was the lone star among local and state VIPs March 27.
Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper addressed a crowd of state, local and county officials and law enforcement officers before cutting a green ribbon to signify the site’s grand opening.
“We’re open for business,” he said as the ribbon fell amidst a line of county officials.
Before the official opening, Leeper basked in the moment of seeing the project completed.
“This is a great day for the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, our employees and the citizens of Nassau County,” he said. “I would like to thank everyone for coming here today to witness a milestone in the history of the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office and Nassau County. This is the first ever stand-alone sheriff’s office administration building ever constructed since the office was founded in 1827. NCSO has always been housed in either a courthouse or jail facility.”
A new sheriff’s office had been discussed since the 1990s, with several then-sheriffs developing plans, according to Leeper. A new courthouse and jail were built in the early 2000s as the NCSO utilized its former site comprised of a network of portable buildings and trailers.
“But it seemed the money just wasn’t there after the courthouse was finished,” he said, adding, “Imagine that.”
He thanked past administrations for their work at the old location. Former Sheriff Ronnie Daugherty who served 1981-85 was in attendance. Former sheriffs W.R. Ray Geiger who served 1992-2004 and T.L. Tommy Seagraves, Jr., sheriff from 2005-12, were unable to attend.
“I want to thank all the former sheriffs and former and current sheriff’s office employees who have endured working out of a dilapidated, leaky and mold invested old jail that was built in the 1970s and a collection of old portable trailers for the past several years,” Leeper said. “The air is certainly easier to breathe over here.”
In 2013, then-County Manager Ted Selby and Commissioner Pat Edwards joined Leeper for project development.
“We developed a new set of plans that lowered the costs, worked with then-State Rep. Janet Adkins and State Senator Aaron Bean with the Florida legislature to get $500,000 allocated for the project, even though it was vetoed by Governor Scott,” Leeper noted. “This however, was an impetus to get the county commission to place the building on their capital improvement plan and allocate $10 million of reserve funds for the project in 2014,” Leeper said. “So, I thank Ted and Pat for realizing the importance of public safety and serving our citizens in a professional environment and making sure the men and women of the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office have the facilities necessary to do their job efficiently and effectively.”
Leeper said that the entire project has not cost $10 million. “But we’re not finished yet,” he quipped.
The new administration building serves as a “major part of our continuing efforts of professionalizing NCSO and will serve the sheriff’s office and the citizens of Nassau County for many decades to come, providing a safe and secure facility where our employees can deliver the best services possible for our citizens,” Leeper said later.
Following the ribbon cutting, Nassau County Emergency Management Director Billy Estep welcomed his new neighbor. The Emergency Operations Center is within walking distance of the new structure.
“We’re actually very pleased that the day has come,” he said. “This is just a milestone to ensure that citizens of Nassau County are protected in a time of disaster.”
The addition of the administration building brings the NCSO in proximity to the EOC, jail, courthouse and 911 Call Center, which could enhance communication and coordination, according to Estep.
Leeper sees the addition as a benefit. “Being situated here in the Nassau County Public Safety Complex is more convenient for the public as well as our employees.”
He announced plans to begin the design of a public safety training center for law enforcement and firefighters. The site will be constructed on a 40-acre plat off County Road 108 in Sandhill.
“This center will allow Nassau County law enforcement officers and fire/rescue personnel to be some of the best trained around our state and our region,” Leeper said. “Our citizens deserve nothing less.”
He concluded by saying, “Our county is growing whether we like it or not, and along with this growth comes more traffic, more opportunities for crime and increased calls for our services. If we don’t keep one step ahead and plan for the future, we will get caught up in a crisis situation, so we must continue to be proactive not just reactive. Public safety for our citizens should always be our number one priority.”