Former Sheriff Larry Gilbert honored for innovations in public safety with dedication of EOC

NICEVILLE — The Okaloosa County Emergency Operations Center has taken on a new name in honor of the former sheriff who’s tenure contributed to the advancement of public safety in the county and throughout the state.

Larry Gilbert was elected sheriff of Okaloosa County in 1980 and served for 16 years, bringing a number of innovations and new technologies to the agency. Now his contributions will be recognized for generations to come at the Sheriff Larry Gilbert Emergency Operations Center in Niceville.

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The building on the Northwest Florida State College campus was dedicated to the former sheriff during a ceremony Thursday. Gilbert was joined by family, friends, former co-workers and emergency responders from across the county and state.

“There were a couple of them I didn’t recognize. Still can’t believe it,” Gilbert said of his former co-workers. “But it was really good to see the people that came out, especially my old guys. They didn’t work for me, they worked with me.”

Former Sheriff Larry Ashley and Sheriff Eric Aden served under Gilbert and said his leadership helped shape their careers in law enforcement. Okaloosa County Clerk of Court JD Peacock also got his start in law enforcement while Gilbert was sheriff.

“Over the time that I served Sheriff Gilbert I learned what leadership was about because I saw it every day,” Peacock said. “That’s the example that he set.”

Former County Commissioner Graham Fountain served as undersheriff during Gilbert’s tenure and sponsored the resolution to honor him.

Modernizing public safety

During his term of office, Fountain said Gilbert embraced new technologies, added several new units and implemented new investigative techniques.

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“I wouldn’t trade the years I worked for Sheriff Gilbert for anything,” Fountain said. “He was instrumental in bringing the overall operations of the Sheriff’s Office into the new century and providing cutting edge technology and innovation.”

When he first started, Gilbert said “smoke signals” would have been better than their communications system. There were no cellphones or computers. Oftentimes, information was spread by written notes passed off to deputies.

“From where we started many years ago, we had the most antiquated communications system that basically it was commonplace throughout the counties of Florida,” Gilbert said. “I saw great change coming and I tried to figure out ‘How do I accomplish that?’ ”

During his tenure, Gilbert brought in computer-aided dispatch and created the first joint dispatch center in the Shalimar Courthouse Annex.

He also began testing an experimental vehicle tracking system built by Eglin Air Force Base engineers before the technology was on the market. The system allowed dispatchers to see each deputy’s vehicle while on patrol and increased safety and response times.

“These engineers put together a system, and it was only $20,000 at the time that would do the job. It was paid for with confiscated drug money, so it didn’t cost the taxpayers any money,” Gilbert said. “It was an exciting time. It was a growth time and it was a fun time to be a part of.”

Fountain said Gilbert was known as the “Banker Sheriff,” not only because he spent nine years as a bank executive, but because of his ability to use every ounce of the budget to implement a wide variety of programs and update the Sheriff's Office.

“We squeezed more money out a nickel than anybody I’ve ever seen in our lives,” Fountain said. “If you’ve seen those cars he inherited when he got elected, half of them didn’t run.”

Impact on emergency operations today

Many of the innovations and programs Gilbert started have impacted emergency operations today. During his term, he served on the board of directors of the Florida Sheriff’s Association and helped create the FSA Self-Insurance Fund.

The fund provides risk services and insurance payments for property and casualty claims throughout the state. He also organized the FSA Mutual Aid Taskforce, which allows sheriff’s deputies to respond across the state during declared emergencies.

Jimmy Patronis, Florida's chief financial officer and fire marshal, said the impacts of those programs were seen when Hurricane Michael hit his hometown of Panama City in 2018. Numerous law enforcement agencies came to Bay County to provide resources and set up mobile commands that give the community a “sense of security.”

“It would not have been the case if it wasn’t for the vision of the sheriff. I’ve seen these firsthand impacts,” Patronis said. “It’s a real privilege to meet somebody like Sheriff Gilbert who went above and beyond his call to duty. His dedication to Okaloosa County is not only a reflection to his commitment to the badge, but also to Okaloosa County and it’s citizens.”

A plaque recognizing Gilbert’s contributions and a painted portrait of him were unveiled during the ceremony. They now hang in the hall of the Emergency Operations Center.

Advancements at EOC continue

The facility is used to respond to any kind of threat, from hurricanes to floods, and contains "state-of-the-art technology" and networking platforms, county Director of Public Safety Patrick Maddox said.

The building also houses the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office 911 communications center, which received over 183,000 emergency calls last year.

“It’s very fitting that this facility is named after him,” Peacock said. “It’s a modernization of how we respond to our community, and for years to come we will be able to tell stories about the things we learned under Sheriff Gilbert.”

Gilbert said he’s honored to have the facility named after him and proud to see the advancements the leaders that have followed him continue to make in public safety.

“As I look at this facility I’m reminded of the quality of people that we’ve had over the years to lead us and get the job done as it was needed in this county,” he said. “This is just the beginning. There’s some things coming down the pipe that are again state-of-the-art, and it’s going to be a lifesaver for the people of this county, the things they’ll be able to do here.”

Maddox said the facility will be the future home of the Okaloosa County Traffic Management Center, which will have a control room for real-time monitoring of traffic signals. That will give dispatchers the ability to assess dangerous conditions and more.

“This is just far beyond what I imagined,” Gilbert said. "I just hope (future generations) realize what they have because this is a real asset for our county. It’s terrible not to have a place to work when you’re in the middle of a storm to communicate. It’s terrible. You wouldn’t believe it until you live through it.”

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Okaloosa Emergency Operations Center dedicated to Sheriff Gilbert