Kevin Beary was Sheriff

Sheriff

A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....

 1993-2009 of Orange County

Orange County, Florida

Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida and is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 1,145,956....

, Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, heading the Orange County Sheriff's Office

Orange County Sheriff's Office (Florida)

The Orange County Sheriff's Office is the chief law enforcement agency for Orange County, Florida, USA. The office is one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the southeastern United States with a budget of more than $180 million dollars and over 2,400 sworn and civilian employees...

, one of the largest law enforcement bodies in the Southeastern United States

Southeastern United States

The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....

.

Biography

He was first elected in 1992 as a Republican

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

. After election to his fourth term, he changed his party affiliation to Independent.

Education

His educational background includes a bachelor's degree from Liberty University

Liberty University

Liberty University is a private Christian university located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty's annual enrollment is around 72,000 students, 12,000 of whom are residential students and 60,000+ studying through Liberty University Online...

 and a master's degree in criminal justice from the University of Central Florida

University of Central Florida

The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...

.

Personal

He is the son of former Winter Park, Florida

Winter Park, Florida

Winter Park is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 24,090 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 28,083. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area...

, Police Chief Ray Beary, and the brother of Police Chief Richard Beary.

Awards

In June 2003, Sheriff Beary was named Sheriff of the Year by the National Sheriffs' Association. In 2002 he received the Professional Achievement Award from the University of Central Florida

University of Central Florida

The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...

. In 2001 he was given the local Hispanic Community Award. In 2000 he received the local Police Athletic League

Police Athletic League

The Police Athletic League is an organization in many American police departments in which members of the police force coach young people, both boys and girls, in sports, and help with homework and other school-related activities. The purpose is to build character, help strengthen police-community...

 Award. He is also the recipient of the Silver Beaver Award from the Central Florida Council of the Boy Scouts of America

Boy Scouts of America

The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...

. In 1996 he was recognized by the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Officers. The local National Rifle Association

National Rifle Association

The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...

 chose him as their Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.

Appointments

Beary was appointed by (former) Governor Jeb Bush to co-chair the Florida Domestic Security Task Force (Region V) on terrorism.

He served on the FBI's Executive Advisory Team for Homeland Security. Beary was president of the Major County Sheriff's Association, Central Florida Criminal Justice Association and the Florida SWAT Association. He serves on the D.A.R.E. America Operations Advisory Committee and is past chairman of the National Police Board of G.R.E.A.T. (Gang Resistance Education and Training). Beary was selected by the American Society for Industrial Security as a member of the Society's International Standing Council on Global Terrorism.

Controversy

In 2004 and 2005, Beary accused of corruption by a former subordinate turned political rival in the 2004 sheriff's race and a local television news station. This resulted in an audit of homeland security

Homeland security

Homeland security is an umbrella term for security efforts to protect states against terrorist activity. Specifically, is a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S., reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do...

 spending by his department. Beary was later cleared of any wrongdoing by a Florida Department of Law Enforcement

Florida Department of Law Enforcement

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is a Florida government agency. FDLE is composed of five programs: Executive Direction and Business Support, Criminal Investigations and Forensic Science, Criminal Justice Information, Criminal Justice Professionalism, and the Florida Capitol Police...

 investigation. On April 20, 2007 the Florida Ethics Commission found probable cause to believe that Beary violated Florida Ethics laws as a result of his involvement in his homeland security business and filed four counts against him. Beary is being prosecuted by the Florida Attorney General's Office and was to face trial on October 24, 2007 before a State of Florida Division of Administrative Hearings Judge on Case # 07-001820EC where Beary could have faced penalties up to removal from office. In July 2009 Beary pleaded guilty to violating Florida ethics laws. He was fined a total of $20,000 and ordered to have no business relationship with the company he started using tax dollars and public employees for three years and given a public reprimand and censure by the Governor of Florida.

In 2008, Beary had decided not to run for a fifth term as Orange County Sheriff and left office on January 5, 2009. During the general election for his successor, Beary endorsed Jerry Demings, a Democrat

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

. Demings won the election and relieved Beary in a ceremony on January 5, 2009.

External links

• Orange County Sheriff's Office
• February 2007 Ethics report notes "Beary may have violated the code of ethics"