Escambia Sheriff Chip Simmons Sworn In; Commits To Reopening Molino Substation, Body Cameras

January 5, 2021

Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons was sworn into office Tuesday morning.

“I will reinforce a commitment to service. We will be there when you need us,” Simmons said. “We will be there, and we will be brave. We will be courteous, and we will be compassionate.”

Simmons committed to reopening substations in Molino and Perdido and discuss the need for any other precinct in Escambia County. He will also place a request to use seized and forfeited funds be used for body cameras.

“We will work every day to be the sheriff’s office that you can be proud of. One that is courteous, one that is committed, one that is strong and professional, and one that is brave. A true reflection of the county that it serves,” Simmons said.

Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

22 Responses to “Escambia Sheriff Chip Simmons Sworn In; Commits To Reopening Molino Substation, Body Cameras”

  1. David Huie Green on January 9th, 2021 1:36 pm

    REGARDING:
    ” I guess bathroom breaks or private conversations should be recorded or some normal body sounds we all make? And yes they will record while an officer is handling a call to include the interior of private homes…. it’s a record that was created on the tax payers dime.”

    Yup.

    Courts can decide what to blur or muffle if any. Entry into people’s homes should be only on official business. All was done on the taxpayer’s dime…might have cost even more.

    David for money’s worth

  2. Stumpknocker on January 7th, 2021 2:34 am

    @ David H Green not turn the camera while on duty, lol so I guess bathroom breaks or private conversations should be recorded or some normal body sounds we all make? And yes they will record while an officer is handling a call to include the interior of private homes. Again perfect place for a lawyer to start by asking for a public request to aid in civil or criminal cases. All the videos are subject to a public request, it’s a record that was created on the tax payers dime.

  3. David Huie Green on January 6th, 2021 9:49 pm

    REGARDING:
    “I am not under surveillance, nor do you have a warrant, therefor a body cam is a violation of my 4th amendment rights.”

    IF you are out in public, you have no reasonable expectation of privacy. Your neighbors know what you are doing; you know what they are doing — if y’all are looking and listening. (And in Bluff Springs, they/we pay attention. Anything you choose to do in public is an example of putting yourself on display. Ad they say, anything you say can and will be used against you. What you do behind closed doors is your business — unless the screaming and/or yelling is too loud.

    Law enforcement should not be able to turn off cameras while on duty. If they break into your house, you should be able to show it. If you provoked them, they should be able to prove it.

    It’s hard on gossips and others who make up lies, but everything has a cost.

    David for a good start

  4. MtnDew on January 6th, 2021 5:24 pm

    :)

  5. Fire Dawg on January 6th, 2021 9:35 am

    Sheriff Morgan, I believe was good and I feel Sheriff Simmons will also be great! I know it looks the city PD has move into county but that’s how it is. And J you’re right the overall crime rate has drop in Escambia but in the Molino I feel the local crime has increased. The whole department is doing a outstanding job and in many cases I would like to be in the deputies shoes. Carry on warriors and great leadership under Sheriff Chip Simmons

  6. retired on January 6th, 2021 8:42 am

    Here comes the good ole boys (city) again. Looking forward to a metro-force.

    @ Jason, YOU WANT THEM TO DO EXTRA WORK?????????????????

  7. Well on January 5th, 2021 10:20 pm

    J
    You must have missed it.
    Crime rates are down in Escambia County.

  8. Joe Smoe on January 5th, 2021 10:12 pm

    Big thumbs up for the pursuit of transparency and accountability… Already earning my respect for trying to acquire body cameras… Escambia County is slacking behind… These camera’s should have been implemented years ago…

  9. Carlos E McGugin on January 5th, 2021 10:05 pm

    I have a lot of faith that Sheriff Simmons will do a great job.

  10. J on January 5th, 2021 8:47 pm

    Good. Maybe Molino residents can actually have someone out here if we need them. People driving through here 90 plus. Even people who live out here disregard speed. I hope we get the substation open. Too many out here think because we live out in the country it’s a free for all. Even our crime is going on up here. Too many drunk
    Drivers out here and wreckless driving.

  11. Stumpknocker on January 5th, 2021 8:43 pm

    I think body cameras will be great, it will reveal to the public just how nasty some of the citizens are and it’s now part of a permanent record of them, which means smart lawyers whether it’s for criminal or civil action will do a public request to help further their cases.

  12. Kent Vancil III on January 5th, 2021 8:06 pm

    Congratulations! I know your leadership will create a path forward with progress, change and improvment! The people of Escambia County got a great leader in law enforcement!

  13. Jon on January 5th, 2021 7:59 pm

    Body cams are great. They protect both the citizen and the officer. It leaves no room for he said she said. It will show if a cops in the wrong and it will show if the citizen is in the wrong. Everybody talking about it messing with their rights if anything it gives everyone around more accountability and protection. You would certainly think after the past couple of years people would be excited about a sheriff that’s taking the steps that need to be taken in the right direction.

  14. steve on January 5th, 2021 7:43 pm

    richard………. You dont have a clue about what you request but yet you want results for blatantly coming up with a solution.
    Things break, things dont work, things get broken… Trust in the people that handle day in and day out very bad situations is all that is needed.
    You will find almost 99.9% of the bad situations that come up under video its the SUSPECT that escalated the scene and when action is taken to bring that under control they want to complain.
    Just watch cops or live PD…

  15. David on January 5th, 2021 6:59 pm

    @ No one
    “legitimate expectation of privacy” ( BTW….your name fits you..get a refund on your Fruit Loops Law Degree)

    The Fourth Amendment applies to a search only if a person has a “legitimate expectation of privacy” in the place or thing searched. If not, the amendment offers no protection because there are, by definition, no privacy issues.

    Courts generally use a two-part test (fashioned by the U.S. Supreme Court) to determine whether, at the time of the search, a defendant had a legitimate expectation of privacy in the place or things searched:

    Did the person actually expect some degree of privacy?
    Is the person’s expectation objectively reasonable—that is, one that society is willing to recognize?

    For example, a person who uses a public restroom expects not to be spied upon (the person has an expectation of privacy), and most people—including judges—would consider that expectation to be objectively reasonable. Therefore, the installation of a hidden video camera by the police in a public restroom would be considered a “search” and would be subject to the Fourth Amendment’s requirement of reasonableness.

    On the other hand, if an officer stops a car and, when talking to the driver, happens to notice a weapon on the passenger seat, there’s been no search under the Fourth Amendment. That’s because, even if the driver somehow considered the passenger seat to be a private place, society isn’t willing to extend privacy protections to that particular location. In other words, there’s no objectively reasonable expectation of privacy with respect to the gun because it was in plain view.

    A good example of how this works comes from a U.S. Supreme Court case in which the court held that a bus passenger had a legitimate expectation of privacy in an opaque carry-on bag positioned in a luggage rack above the passenger’s head. The Court held that the physical probing by the police of the bag’s exterior for evidence of contraband constituted a search subject to Fourth Amendment limitations. (Bond v. U.S., 529 U.S. 334 (2000).)

  16. James Morris on January 5th, 2021 6:34 pm

    Congrats chip brotha good luck and clean up the in the most positive way you can

  17. Richard L Walker on January 5th, 2021 6:18 pm

    Committing to body cams is great.
    How about consequences for the police who have as their excuse, “The body cam just wasn’t working.” I’m thinking, FIRE THEM.

  18. Anne on January 5th, 2021 4:57 pm

    Prayers, Very Best Wishes and Immense HOPE for a revamped ECSO where there is a line of NEW Officer Candidtes who are capable, qualified, right-minded and fit young adults WANTING to be a part of Law Enforcement in Escambia County.
    Good Wishes Sheriff Simmons…..it will be Refreshing to have your Leadership for the County Citizens.

  19. No One on January 5th, 2021 2:50 pm

    I am not under surveillance, nor do you have a warrant, therefor a body cam is a violation of my 4th amendment rights.

  20. lawson a berry on January 5th, 2021 1:17 pm

    I think he will ben a good sheriff!

  21. Jason on January 5th, 2021 12:29 pm

    Firs things first!!!!! Slow these alabama drivers down as they drive 80 plus mph through Molino. PLEASE PLEASE PUT THIS FIRST. TOO MANY KIDS AND BUSSES AND FARM EQUIPMENT AND U TURNERS

  22. steve on January 5th, 2021 12:19 pm

    I seen that 99% of time the body cams pretty much show how people really act. The suspects see themselves prior to going to court and plead ..
    Because a report can only explain the actions of the criminals so much. But video in full view to the court is pretty telling.
    Person right now can say anything happened but the truth is they are telling a warped story. That camera has a perspective that is hard to beat.

    Then after a while the criminal will not want cops wearing those cameras, Cause it makes them look bad.