WCSO SUPERVISORS GRADUATE FROM FLORIDA LEADERSHIP ACADEMY CLASS 57
TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Supervisors working in different capacities at Walton County Sheriff’s Office have graduated from the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute’s Florida Leadership Academy.
Walton County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Brandon Coone of the Criminal Investigations Bureau and Sergeant Stephen Pate of the Jail Operations Bureau were among the 44 graduates representing 32 criminal justice agencies from around the state of Florida.
Students met for four week-long sessions at the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Training Facility in Titusville, Florida where they learned the necessary skills to support the needs of their agencies and their communities as they prepare for future challenges.
The goal of the Florida Leadership Academy is to prepare first-line supervisors in criminal justice organizations to exemplify the character and integrity expected of criminal justice professionals and to examine the various components necessary to being an efficient leader.
Sergeant Coone began his career with the Walton County Sheriff’s Office in 2012. Before joining WCSO, Coone served in the United States Marine Corps from 2001-2005. He was assigned to the Beach/Marine Unit in 2016 and was promoted to Sergeant in 2022. He currently serves as the Sergeant over Property Crimes in the Criminal Investigations Bureau. Sergeant Coone is an active member of the WCSO SWAT Team and has served as a defensive tactics instructor and first aid instructor.
Pate has been with WCSO since 2005 when he started as a fleet mechanic. He was sworn in as a Detention Deputy in 2015. Detention Deputy of the Quarter and Detention Deputy of the Year in 2017. That same year he was promoted from Field Training Officer (FTO) to Corporal. He also served on the Jail’s Corrections Special Operations Group (C-SOG) when it was first established. Pate was promoted to Sergeant in 2019. Sergeant Pate was instrumental in the 2022 remodel of the booking area at the Walton County Jail where you served as incident commander.
“We are proud of these two men as they continually strive to better themselves and become more well-rounded leaders,” said Sheriff Michael Adkinson. “We are looking forward to how they put what they’ve learned into practice to serve the residents and visitors of Walton County.”