Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers addressed residents at a Chamber luncheon last week in Sebastian, discussing the agency’s budget challenges and the need for additional funding to maintain community safety.
Sheriff Flowers, along with Detective Sergeant Matt Redstone, Detective Phil Daugherty, and Sergeant Charlie Clark, talked about the agency’s achievements, operational demands, and financial constraints, urging residents to support a proposed budget increase.
A Growing County and Rising Demands
Indian River County has adopted a law enforcement level-of-service standard of 2.09 officers per 1,000 permanent residents plus weighted peak seasonal population to ensure adequate public safety.
Currently, the Sheriff’s Office operates with 196 deputies, resulting in a staffing ratio of 1.66 officers per 1,000 permanent residents, or 1.82 when including School Resource Officers (SRO’s). To meet the standard, the Sheriff’s Office requires 244 law enforcement officers.
With the county’s population growing by approximately 3,000 people annually, achieving and maintaining this staffing ratio is critical to address the increasing demands on law enforcement services and support the safety needs of our expanding community.
Indian River County’s population has grown by 23% since 2010, with unincorporated areas—served directly by the Sheriff’s Office—increasing by 28%. This growth has put more pressure on the Sheriff’s Office, which has 547 budgeted full-time positions, including 373 sworn deputies and 190 civilian staff. These employees handle critical tasks like patrol, jail operations, courthouse security, and school resource officers.
“Our county is getting busier every day,” said Detective Sergeant Redstone. “It takes longer to travel from north to south, and with more people in unincorporated areas, we’re getting more calls for help.”
The Sheriff’s Office has focused on new programs and technology to fight crime effectively. Sheriff Flowers highlighted the Therapy Dog Program, which started four years ago and has grown from 6 to 19 K-9 units, including therapy, gun, bomb, and bloodhound dogs.
These dogs help people in stressful situations, such as those having panic attacks or feeling suicidal in the courthouse. Sheriff Flowers believes so much in this program that Miranda, his 1-year-old chocolate lab, often accompanies him. Miranda is certified as a therapy dog, and the Sheriff said she helps people by opening a dialogue and providing a calming effect to those in crisis.
The department also utilizes programs like license plate readers, a real-time crime center, and AI to monitor school cameras. As a result, auto burglaries fell out of the county’s top 10 crimes in 2024 for the first time in years.
“This morning, we stopped a stolen vehicle in Gifford, likely preventing burglaries,” Sheriff Flowers said, showing how proactive policing works.
Budget Proposal: Addressing Staffing and Salary Challenges
The Sheriff’s Office currently operates with a budget of roughly $78.9 million and is requesting an increase to $93.5 million for the upcoming year. Of this, $9 million would be allocated directly to deputy and civilian salaries to help hire and retain experienced staff.
Sheriff Flowers and his team explained that competitive pay is essential to maintain deputies and attract new ones, especially as the cost of living in the county rises.
Starting Pay Comparison
Detective Sergeant Redstone shared that a starting deputy in Indian River County earns about $51,000 a year, much less than in nearby counties.
- Indian River County SO- $50,618.88
- Saint Lucie County SO- $58,860 (Proposed $60,801)
- Martin County SO- $62,154 (FY’ 25’26- $66,504.95)
- Vero Beach Police PD- $54,167.48 (FY ’25-*26- $58,975)
- Sebastian Police PD- $50,009
- Port Saint Lucie PD- $69,078.01 (FY ’25-’26- $72,531)
- Fort Pierce PD- $55,419.78
- IRC Fire Rescue- $60,001.76
- Florida Highway Patrol- $54,075, Proposed FY ’25- ’26 $64,890
“We lost a deputy who worked at Vero Beach High School, loved by students and teachers, to Port St. Lucie, where he now earns $79,000,” Redstone said. “He was working 20 hours of overtime a month here just to pay his bills.”
In Indian River County, the cost of living is relatively high due to a strong housing market. The estimated mean listing price for homes is $439,900, while the median sold price is slightly lower at $390,000.
An annual income of $52,000 can afford a house up to $194,000, indicating a significant gap for many residents. For a $350,000 home, a family of four would need an annual income of approximately $111,244 to manage expenses.
The median rent in Indian River County is $2,625, which is $1,156 higher than the average rent across the U.S., showing that living here is more expensive. Training a new deputy, including the academy, gear, and certification, costs about $140,000, so it’s cheaper to keep experienced deputies on the job.
Meanwhile, 32% of law enforcement deputies who left the sheriff’s office in the last four years have continued their careers in law enforcement at other agencies.
The budget increase would also cover rising costs for training, vehicle maintenance, and software licenses. “Software companies raise prices when they see ‘government’ on our forms,” Redstone said, emphasizing the need for updated equipment and technology to stay effective.
Community Impact and Call to Action
Sheriff Flowers emphasized that the Sheriff’s Office serves the entire county, operating the jail (with 450 inmates nightly), securing the courthouse, and serving legal documents in cities such as Sebastian and Vero Beach. However, with a smaller budget than larger counties like St. Lucie, despite policing a larger unincorporated area, the agency struggles to keep up.
The county’s millage rate, one of Florida’s lowest at $3.50 per $1,000 of taxable property value, means the average homeowner pays approximately $1,100 per year after applying homestead exemptions.
Raising the millage rate by 0.25 mills would cost homeowners about $13 more per month, generating $14 million to nearly fully fund the Sheriff’s budget request. A 1-mill increase would add $26 monthly, raising $28 million, which could also help support other county services, such as firefighting.
“We’re not excited about raising taxes,” Sheriff Flowers said. “But without enough deputies willing to wear the bulletproof vest and respond to emergencies, all the technology in the world won’t help.”
2024 Millage Rate Per County
In 2024, the average millage rate across Florida counties is 6.82 mils. Indian River County ranks as the 7th lowest with a millage rate of 3.54 mils.
Lowest Millage Rates:
- Monroe County: 2.69 mils
- Brevard County: 2.92 mils
- Collier County: 3.01 mils
- Volusia County: 3.2 mils (LE Special Taxing District: 2.27 mils)
- Marion County: 3.35 mils (LE Special Taxing District: 2.00 mils)
- Sarasota County: 3.39 mils
- Indian River County: Ranks 7th lowest with a millage rate of 3.54 mils.
Higher Millage Rates:
- Palm Beach County: 4.5 mils
- Martin County: 6.6 mils
- Saint Lucie County: 7.1 mils
Community Engagement and Budget Workshop
The Sheriff’s Office is asking residents to contact their county commissioners and attend a budget workshop on July 9, 2025, at 9 a.m. to support the proposed increase.
“Our deputies are out there every night, putting their lives on the line,” Sheriff Flowers said. “We need your help to keep them here and keep our county safe.”
The agency, in collaboration with union representatives, presented a plan focused on a shared goal: making Indian River County the safest and most thriving place to live and work. The Sheriff’s Office solves 87% of violent crimes and is dedicated to strengthening community connections. To support these efforts, they are asking residents to close the budget gap.
Residents can contact county commissioners at:
- Susan Adams
- Commissioner
- District 1
- (772) 226-1442
- Joseph E. Flescher
- Chairman
- District 2
- (772) 226-1919
- Joe Earman
- Commissioner
- District 3
- (772) 226-1433
- Deryl Loar
- Vice-Chairman
- District 4
- (772) 226-1440
- Laura Moss
- Commissioner
- District 5
- (772) 226-1473
Indian River County residents are encouraged to attend the July 9, 2025, 9 a.m. budget workshop at the County Administration Building A, located at 1801 27th Street, Vero Beach, Florida.
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