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Oil & Gas Drilling in the Gulf

 

November 2009

Sheriff appoints Walton's first Environmental Deputy

When the Sheriff spoke at an earlier public forum, he said he wanted to have an officer dedicated to investigating and pursuing environmental crimes. He indicated that many communities have such an officer on their staff who has a special knowledge of environmental laws. The Sheriff has now made such an appointment. The types of crimes this deputy will investigate are environmental violations of state as well as county law. Some examples would be illegal wetland impacts and air and water pollution. To some extent there is an overlap with the county code enforcement. The Sheriff’s office and Code Enforcement are working on internal guidelines to handle overlaps.

The Sheriff’s Department has issued the following press release:

News Flash - Selected
New Environmental Deputy
DeFuniak Springs, FL (November 20, 2009) – Those who pollute, or endanger the environment in Walton County can now face criminal charges. Walton County Sheriff Michael A. Adkinson, Jr. has sworn-in Donna Shank as his office’s first Environmental Deputy.

From 2003 thru 2006, Deputy Shank held several positions including School Resource Officer with the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. Over the last three years, she has served as a Code Enforcement Officer with Walton County. Deputy Shank says her new position will be similar in nature, but this time she will have the ability to file criminal charges against those who endanger the environment. It could include possible jail time.

Deputy Shank will work directly under the Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division Commander, Lt. Frank Hawley. Lt. Hawley says “Deputy Shank will investigate such matters as widespread illegal dumping, and the pollution of our waterways’ like rivers and streams”.

Deputy Shank will handle Walton County environmental issues from the Alabama Stateline to the Gulf Coast, but her main office will be located at the Sheriff’s Office Substation on Santa Rosa Beach. If you have information on a possible illegal environmental matter, you can contact Deputy Shank at the Sheriff’s Office’s main administrative number; 892-8186.