Candidate: Michael James Brannin

Hello, I am Michael Brannin, candidate for Sheriff of Dixie County. I have 30 years of law enforcement experience . I started my career in 1984 at the age of 18 by attending CTI at Cross City Correctional . Two weeks prior to graduation I turned 19. I graduated second in my class at Lake City Community College. I was then employeed  with the Florida Department of Corrections. I worked in security at Mayo Correctional before transfering to Lancaster Correctional. I knew at this point in my life that I wanted to continue with my career in law enforcement, but in a slightly different direction.  I wanted to work enforcing laws and possibly affecting the lives of citizens in a positive way. I was then hired with the Dixie County Sheriff's Office as a correctional officer and dispatcher by Sheriff Glenn Dyals. While working as a dispatcher, I developed a love for helping the citizens of our community. I wanted to become more hands on and be the one that arrived in person to the location of the complaint or accident. I went from correctional certified to law enforcement certified through a cross over class offered by Lake City Community College. I graduated and then became a certified law enforcement officer. I was currently employed with the Dixie County Sheriffs Office with Larry Edmonds as Sheriff and had risen to the rank of Correctional Officer Seargent.  I was offered a job in Cedar Key, FL, as a police officer.  After serious consideration, I accepted the job because it was more in line with my career choice, but it would take me away from my home town. While employeed with the Cedar Key Police Deptment, I worked with the deputies of the Levy County Sheriff's Office. I did obtained the rank of  Corporal and I developed the skills and tactics that are common with law enforcement patrol officers.  I then learned that a position with the Cross City Police Dept was opened.  I excitedly applied for the job, for this would get me back home doing the career I had chosen. I was hired and worked for Chief of Police, Marcellus Dawson.  Now back home, I continued my career.  All my years spent as a patol officer had been spent in small agencies.  Although I enjoyed my job, I wanted to work for a larger agency. In 2001, I took a job with Dyn-Corp who contracted with the U.S. Department of State and the United Nations. I was deployed to Kosovo where I was providing local Law enforcement, as well as, recruiting and training new police officers in a newly emerging democracy. I worked under sometimes stressful and difficult circumstances. I became the third in command at my police station.  As conditions changed we had ever changing missions and goals.  It was here I learned to become fluid and to multi-task  in stressful high pressure conditions, all the while maintaining control.  At the conclusion of my mission, I was again employeed at the Cross City Police Department with Chief Wesley Jones as a patrol officer  I was later approaced by Sheriff Elect Dewey Hatcher. He offered me a position managing the drug task force unit when he took office. I agreed to take this position.  I became an investigator in the narcotic division with the Dixie County Sheriffs Office. This job entailed writing grants, quartly reporting of financial expendatures and performance reporting to the F.D.L.E, as well as, the financial management of the grant funds. I worked with one other officer that was assigned to the narcotic unit. Hundereds of felony narcotic cases were processed throught the efforts of the narcotics unit over the next ten years.  I was lead investigator on some of the Dixie County's major cases, including homicide and narcotics cases. These cases ranged from federal cocaine trafficking cases, to manufacturing of methamphetamine, and hundreds of sales of narcotics. During this time period, I advanced in rank and took on the roll of special operations lieutenant.  I oversaw the Sheriff's Office Rescue and Recovery  Dive Team, while still activly working in the narcotics division.  I managed grants that purchased K-9 unit vehicles and patrol vehicles. I also wrote a grant to purchase a boat and new diving equipment that enhanced the search and recovery dive team. I continued in this capacity until  2018 when I retired. Let me put this experience to work for you as Sheriff of Dixie County. Your vote will be appreciated, together we will build a safer, stronger community.