Search
Close this search box.

Okaloosa Sheriff’s Office makes 278 traffic stops in Destin over the past month

The Destin City Council held its regular meeting Monday, where Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jason Fulghum provided an update on recent traffic enforcement within city limits. The sheriff’s office obtained the overtime traffic enforcement grant late last year to combat Destin’s ranking in the top 25% of cities statewide for per-capita speeding. The grant allows targeted […]

📸 Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office

The Destin City Council held its regular meeting Monday, where Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jason Fulghum provided an update on recent traffic enforcement within city limits.

  • Fulghum told the council that through the department’s participation in a state grant-funded speed enforcement program over the past month, deputies made 278 traffic stops within Destin. 
  • About 36% resulted in citations.

The sheriff’s office obtained the overtime traffic enforcement grant late last year to combat Destin’s ranking in the top 25% of cities statewide for per-capita speeding. The grant allows targeted enforcement along the city’s problem areas without any additional costs to the city or Okaloosa County.

“That’s why we went out and got a grant so that we could pay overtime to guys to sit down there and do it because that’s the fiscally responsible way to approach it,” Fulghum told the council in December about the decision to apply for extra funding. “It’s not costing the city a dime. It’s not costing the county a dime. The federal government, through the state, is paying for that enforcement.”

Fulghum said the sheriff’s office must submit paperwork by the end of February to seek approval for renewing the grant in 2025. That application requires a support letter from the Destin council.

  • He sent the Destin city manager the previous year’s letter Monday but noticed one tweak needed to align with the grant’s specified purpose of combating speeding and aggressive driving. The current letter only cites aggressive driving.

Councilman Jim Bagby motioned to authorize Destin Mayor Bobby Wagner to sign an updated letter without further review so Fulghum can meet the approaching application deadline.

“I’ll forward that letter to the Mayor tomorrow,” Fulghum told the council after the unanimous approval.

The Sheriff’s Office data shows around 69% of all traffic enforcement in District 3, which covers Destin, takes place within city limits or in unincorporated parts of the area. Deputies also monitor drivers headed to and from Okaloosa Island, which sees heavy beach traffic in the summer months.

One Response

  1. The OCSO sit on medians with flashing lights on in Destin. Is that move over lane required to the right, via the flashing lights, or are they watching speed? Not a wreck or someone in traffic stop, but I need to turn left soon.
    Maybe I can have explanation when OCSO responds to barring those from left turn lanes entry because of following rules of staying opposite lane of a flashing OCSO
    Simple answer, just fear of driving in the wrong lane with an emergency vehicle flashing lights. The median flashing guy puts all vehicles into 1 lane. Destin really needs this

Join the conversation...

Continue reading 👇

Community Comments

“Very glad to see this project going through,we don’t live here but we brought our bikes here from misssouri and drove over to 30A to ride”
Respond
“I suggest revising this statement: "doubling the number of travel lanes from the current four to six" since doubling four does not yield six.”
Respond
“No there was never one here.”
Respond
“Sad that I know him and had no idea!”
Respond
“One of the most important issue regarding this matter is: was this x-con provided with an opportunity to learn a trade while locked up for 327 months or was he...”
Respond
“Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? I seriously question the integrity of the yellow media and low-intelligence commenters for spewing such damagaing rhetoric before this case has even been...”
Respond
“I take it that he only did half of 27 years which is 13 1/2 years .He apparently missed his inmate friends. What made him think he could get away...”
Respond
“How can we get this started at Bluewater ? yeah Mrs Crist , still loving and making a difference in children’s lives .”
Respond
“This is such an awesome idea! Ms. Crist was my daughter Valerie's 2nd grade teacher when Valerie attended Bluewater Elementary School! Ms. Crist was born to teach!! Nellie Bogar, Youth...”
Respond
“I have been in the charter industry for nearly 20yrs, I own a successful mulit-boat fishing company, I teach the FISHING CLASS at Destin Highschool and I am also the...”
Respond