Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office

09/14/2026

🎉𝙊𝘾𝙎𝙊 𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙈𝙊𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎 🎉

We’re proud to announce the well-deserved promotions of Charles Donovan and Taylor Woodard to the rank of Sergeant.

Their hard work, leadership, and dedication to serving the citizens of Okaloosa County have prepared them well for this next chapter. We’re proud to see them take on their new roles and look forward to their continued success!

Congratulations, Sergeant Donovan and Sergeant Woodard! 👏

09/14/2026

Sheriff Aden had the opportunity to spend some time with the Meigs Middle School Leadership Class today!

These students are learning what it means to lead, serve others, and make a positive difference in their school and community. Sheriff Aden enjoyed talking with them, hearing their ideas, and sharing a little about the importance of leadership and responsibility.

We’re proud to invest in young people who are already stepping up as leaders. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

09/14/2026

Meeting Tonight! Join us! Are you 12–20 years old or know someone who is that is interested in law enforcement, leadership, teamwork, or serving our community?

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Explorer Program gives young people the opportunity to learn, grow, and experience what it takes to be a leader in their community.

👮 LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING
• Fi****ms safety & responsible handling
• Shooting fundamentals
• Building clearing concepts
• Traffic stop concepts
• First aid & emergency response
• Crime scene investigations
• Specialty unit experiences
• And much more!

⭐ LIFE & LEADERSHIP SKILLS
• Leadership development
• Public speaking
• Teamwork & communication
• Confidence building
• Community service
• Responsibility & accountability
• Real-world experiences that prepare you for the future

Whether you're considering a career in law enforcement or simply want to challenge yourself, make a difference, and become a stronger leader, there's a place for you in the Explorer Program. Our next meeting will be tonight 9/14/2026 at Ruckle Middle School 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM. Parents are welcome to attend or drop off/pick up. Our advisors will be there tonight to answer any questions or feel free to reach out to any of the advisors listed at the link: https://www.sheriff-okaloosa.org/join-ocso/ocso-explorers/

09/14/2026

Deputy Tony Constantini is being recognized for reaching 15 years with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office!

Lt. Travis Topolski presented Tony with his 15- Year Service Commendation at the Central District.

A lot changes over 15 years, but the commitment it takes to show up, day after day, remains the same!

Congratulations Deputy Constantini and thank you for 15 years with OCSO. ⭐⭐️⭐️

09/12/2026

Sometimes, a call for service turns into a moment you don’t expect!

Deputy Saenz and Cutler met at the Exxon in Fort Walton Beach this morning when the little girl had something important to say:

“I want to be a police officer like you when I grow up.”

We think she may already have the heart for it.

Our deputies don’t want to ever miss an opportunity to show our youngest community members what kindness, compassion and service look like!

👊⭐️🫶🏼

09/11/2026

Okaloosa County Beach Safety Update - Single Red Flag 🚩

🟥
Fort Walton Beach: Single Red flag: hazardous surf and rip currents present. Knee deep is too deep
Thunderstorms thought out the day
🌩️

09/11/2026

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office honors EVERY LIFE LOST, EVERY FAMILY FOREVER CHANGED, AND EVERY FIRST RESPONDER WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.
⭐🇺🇸💕

09/11/2026

‼️RESCHEDULED‼️

The 9/11 stair climb at Niceville High is being postponed til tomorrow morning at 7:30 due to the weather! See you then!

09/10/2026

Today we arrested a paraprofessional following an investigation into an alleged child abuse incident involving a student at Lewis School in Valparaiso.

On September 4th, an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer was notified of an allegation that 46 year old Heather Bildstein, an education support staff member at Lewis School, struck a 5-year-old autistic student in the face with an open hand.

According to the investigation, the incident occurred after the child struck Bildstein in the face, knocking off her glasses. When interviewed by investigators, Bildstein denied striking the child in the face and stated she stopped before making contact.

Two witnesses provided separate statements to investigators. Both reported seeing Bildstein’s hand make contact with the child’s face and said the strike was hard enough to cause the child’s head to turn. No visible injuries were observed following the incident.

Bildstein has been charged with Child Abuse Without Great Harm.

The Okaloosa County School District placed Bildstein on administrative leave and is cooperating with the investigation.

Okaloosa County School District Superintendent Marcus Chambers provided the following statement:

“We take the protection of our students’ health, safety, and welfare seriously. As soon as the district became aware of the incident, we followed our established policies and procedures, and we immediately placed the employee on administrative leave. We have been working with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office throughout this matter and will fully cooperate with law enforcement and any applicable investigation.

Because of student privacy laws, including FERPA, we cannot discuss specific details. When it comes to our students’ well-being, we expect our employees to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, and any breach of those standards is unacceptable. As I have emphasized, individuals will be held accountable if they fail to meet the expectations we’ve set.

At the same time, I want to recognize the thousands of dedicated educators and support staff who show up every day with a genuine commitment to our students. They care deeply about the children they serve and work tirelessly to help them learn, grow, and succeed.”