Chitwood initially elected sheriff in 2016

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood is running for reelection in 2024.

He filed his candidacy with the Volusia County Supervisor of Elections on Friday.

“Let’s make it official. Got an announcement coming next week,” he tweeted.

Chitwood was first elected sheriff in Volusia County in August 2016 and was reelected without opposition in August 2020. Prior to that, he was the police chief at Daytona Beach Police Department for 10 years from May 2006 to November 2016.

He also served as police chief in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and as an officer in the patrol, tactical, narcotics and detective divisions before rising through the ranks as lieutenant in the Philadelphia Police Department.

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During his time as the Volusia County sheriff, Chitwood has helped facilitate roundtables addressing the fentanyl crisis, taken an aggressive stance against antisemitic hate permeating the community and opened a new Juvenile Assessment Center for troubled youth.

Recently, he made headlines for voicing his support for a bill that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law giving sheriff’s offices across the state the sole ability to police unincorporated areas of their respective counties. For Volusia County, that means some deputies are tasked with patrolling beaches, putting an end to Volusia’s Beach Patrol.

Chitwood is holding a news conference Tuesday at 11 a.m. with “an announcement about 2024.”

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About the Author:

Samantha started at WKMG-TV in September 2020. Before joining the News 6 team, Samantha was a political reporter for The Villages Daily Sun and has had freelance work featured in the Evansville Courier-Press and The Community Paper. When not writing, she enjoys travelling and performing improv comedy.