Candidate: Brian W. Hester

Growing up in the south, Brian Hester learned from a young age the importance of hard work and serving his community. His southern drawl, strong work ethic and friendly demeanor are the product of being raised in Travelers Rest, South Carolina. Brian is a family man. He is the proud husband to his wife, Ginger and father of five children: Jake, Luke, Wesley, Hannah and Emily. When he’s not protecting and serving his community, Brian can often be found at Westside Church where he serves as security coordinator. He also spends a great deal of time enjoying the Treasure Coast with his family water skiing, wake boarding, racing dirt bikes and CrossFit training. He has been a proud St. Lucie County resident since 1998 when he joined the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office as a patrol deputy.

Committed to education and continual improvement, Brian is a graduate of Clemson University with a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting and a Master's Degree in Strategic Leadership. He completed the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Criminal Justice Executive Institute and the prestigious FBI National Academy.

Throughout his 25-year-career in law enforcement, Brian has worked in nearly every capacity from patrol deputy to detective, rising through the ranks to sergeant, lieutenant, captain, major and now chief deputy in a variety of divisions including the Special Investigations Unit, the Economic Crimes Unit, the Training Unit, District Patrol, Professional Standards and Community Engagement Division, School Resource, Crime Prevention, Training, Accreditation and Background Investigations, the Department of Administration and the Department of Law Enforcement.

In addition, Brian has served on the SLCSO’s SWAT Team as a member and team leader. He’s also served as an adjunct instructor in both basic recruit academies and advanced and specialized training courses at Indian River State College. Brian is a graduate of the FBI National Academy (Class 265), and is currently an area representative for the FBI National Academy Alumni Association.

Over the years, he been recognized by both internal agency awards as well as external organizations and groups. These have included:

• The Florida Sheriff’s Association Deputy of the Year
• Palm Beach Post Officer of the Year
• US Attorney General’s Officer of the Year
• Florida Attorney General Meritorious Service Award
• American Legion Officer of the Year Award
• Florida Narcotics Officer Association Officer of the Year
• The Sons of the American Revolution Officer of the Year
• Detective of the Quarter
• Unit Citations on seven different occasions, and
• Five Exceptional Duty awards
• St. Lucie County Boys and Girls Clubs Board Member of the Year

In addition to his agency responsibilities, Brian actively serves on several non-profit and professional boards including:

• Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County (Chair-Elect)
• Treasure Coast Food Bank
• Florida Department of Law Enforcement Region XI Training Council
• National Tactical Officer Association (Subject Matter Expert in Fitness)
• Florida Chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates (Area Representative)