The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office now has a helicopter. That’s thanks to Sheriff Rick Staly’s acquisition of a 2018 Bell 505 from Dan Newlin, the Orlando-based personal injury attorney. Newlin and Staly are longtime friends and former coworkers in law enforcement.
The value of the helicopter was estimated at $1.42 million, according to a statement on the purchase by the FCSO. $700,000 of that cost came from the FCSO, while Newlin reportedly covered the remaining $720,000 cost himself, plus $30,000 in equipment costs.
There is no requirement that Sheriff Staly clears purchases such as this one with the greater county government. As a constitutional officer he has discretionary authority over the Sheriff’s Office budget. Still, according to FlaglerLive who first reported the acquisition, Staly had not contacted the county administrator or county commissioners to inform them of what will amount to a massive change in Flagler County’s emergency response capabilities.
What the Helicopter Adds
Features of the helicopter include a FLIR thermal camera system and night-sun spotlight. The agency says the helicopter has only 535 flight hours logged, making it ‘virtually new’ in their words. It will be operated by the FCSO Special Operations Section as an expansion of the agency’s drone aviation program.
The helicopter will be kept at the East Flagler Mosquito Control District headquarters on Fin Way. There, the District already houses and operates their own service helicopter. The county has one other helicopter in its service: Flagler County FireFlight, which has for years served in emergencies varying in nature.
“I tried to work with FCFR to increase medevac and law enforcement availability with FireFlight, but that discussion was not successful, so I worked for a cost-affordable public-private partnership,” Staly said. “It’s been a long time coming, and we’re excited to soon give our deputies the additional aerial support they need to protect and serve our community.”
How the Helicopter Was Paid For
Sheriff Rick Staly during budget negotiations with the County Commission in 2021. ⓒ AskFlagler
Out of the $700,000 paid for by the FCSO, $125,000 is accounted for by funds seized from alleged drug dealers in Flagler County. The remaining $575,000 was described as a ‘one-time budget savings’. The FCSO is describing the nature of the acquisition as a ‘public-private partnership’, with emphasis on the helicopter’s medical evacuation, or medevac, capabilities.
Overall, Newlin is responsible for just over half of the acquisition costs of the helicopter, while the FCSO covered the rest. Still, with just under nine percent of the cost coming from seized drug money, not all of the Sheriff’s Office’s portion comes from taxpayers (in the traditional sense).
“Public safety is always our top priority,” Staly continued. “Thanks to Mr. Dan Newlin’s generosity and taking the profits from drug dealers along with a one-time nonrecurring budget savings, we were able to obtain a state-of-the-art helicopter for less than half the cost. This is a huge win for our community as it expands our ability to quickly respond to emergencies, especially with medevac for serious accidents. The community has clamored for 24-hour emergency trauma capability. This public-private partnership makes that a reality at a significantly reduced cost to taxpayers.”
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has an annual budget of $59.2 million. $48 million of that comes from the Flagler County Commission, while the Palm Coast City Council contributes another $11.2 million for the FCSO to fulfill their need for a city police department.
Dedicated to Jane Gentile-Youd
Also noted by Staly is the dedication of the helicopter to the late Jane Gentile-Youd. A constant presence in Flagler County’s political circuit, Gentile-Youd often advocated for FCSO funding to be redirected to Flagler County Fire Rescue. She also pushed for the addition of medevac capabilities to Flagler County. Gentile-Youd passed away last week at 82 years old.
“I dedicate the medevac capability to Mrs. Jane Gentile-Youd who had long clamored for 24-hour medevac capability in Flagler County,” Staly said of the late County Commission candidate. “It is truly sad that Jane passed before she could see her vision become a reality.”
Dan Newlin’s Donation
Attorney Dan Newlin, familiar to many Floridians for his law firm’s television commercials, has long-running ties with Sheriff Staly. The two worked together for years in the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, with Staly as Newlin’s superior.
Dan Newlin’s official federal portrait, taken after his nomination for U.S. Ambassador to Colombia.
“This donation is about giving back to the community and helping law enforcement do their jobs more effectively,” Newlin said. “When I learned about the Sheriff’s Office’s need for a helicopter, I knew it was an opportunity to make a real difference. This aircraft will help save lives, protect families, and keep Flagler County safe for years to come.”
In December 2024, Newlin was announced as the impending nominee for U.S. Ambassador to Colombia by Donald Trump ahead of his second presidential inauguration. Newlin’s nomination received no vote during the first year of Trump’s second term, and thus was returned to Trump for re-submission in accordance with Senate rules.
