VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – As calls for defunding the police reignite amid another deadly police shooting in Minnesota, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood taking money and resources away is not the answer. “Everything that goes wrong in society gets shoved down to the cops,” Chitwood said. “We get it.
Whether it’s mental health, drugs, homelessness, you think of it. Why aren’t cops dealing with that? Because the system is broke, and we’re the last line of defense against something.
We’re trying to turn the system on its head.” Since taking office in 2017, Chitwood has pioneered new programs and training to help his deputies prepare for different scenarios.