Administration

A native of Bradford County, George Paul “Gordon” Smith, graduated from Bradford County High School in 1985 and began his law enforcement career in 1986 with the Florida Department of Corrections. He then joined the Starke Police Department in 1987, moving to the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office in 1990. 1999 brought a change for Gordon when he was selected as the Assistant Police Chief for the Starke Police Department and in 2001; he was elected to the position of Chief of Police for the City of Starke. In November 2008, after successful service as a Police Chief, he was elected as the Sheriff of Bradford County. Sheriff Smith completed his A.S. degree in 1999 from Vincennes University and is a Graduate of the FBI National Academy, 240th Session.

He is a State of Florida certified instructor in Firearms, Chemical Weapons, Officer Survival, D.A.R.E. and PPCT Impact Weapons. Sheriff Smith has completed numerous hours of executive training in leadership and management, such as Florida Sheriffs Executive Training (2008), National Sheriffs Institute of Executive Management and Training (97th Session), Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute Advanced Chiefs Training (2005), Florida Police Chiefs Executive Development (2002), Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute Chief Executive Seminar (class 26), Federal Executive Development Training (1999) and many others. Further, he has advanced training and attained certificates in the areas of Homicide Investigations, Criminal Interviews and Interrogations, Hostage Negotiations, Sex Crimes Investigations and National Incident Management Systems, to name a few. Sheriff Smith and his wife, Stefanie live in Starke, Florida and are the delighted parents of daughter Hailey and son Hayden.

Colonel Brad Smith is the Chief Deputy for the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office and oversees law enforcement operations, Corrections and Media Relations.

Colonel Smith attended high school in Miami, graduated with his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology from Florida State University and received his Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Florida. In 2001 during his master’s studies, Colonel Smith was selected to participate in a criminal justice study abroad program in Russia. Additional studies sent him to the FBI National Academy session 251 and Southern Police Institute.

His law enforcement career started in 1990 at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office where he served for over 16 years. While there he experienced a variety of assignments such as; Patrol, Bicycle Patrol, Canine, Patrol Sergeant, Patrol Lieutenant, District Commander, Warrants Unit Commander, and Public Information Officer. He moved to the Starke Police Department in 2007 where he was assigned as the Public Relations Officer prior to joining the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office in January 2009. In December of 2020 he was promoted to the rank of Colonel and assigned the title of Chief Deputy.

Colonel Smith is a dynamic and proven leader with over 30 years of public service. He is a change agent with a strong record of community collaboration, consensus building and creating organizational success.

Major George L. Konkel Jr. is the Chief of Operations. He graduated from Bradford High School in 1989 and obtained an Associate Degree from Vincennes University. Before becoming a Deputy with Bradford County Sheriff’s Office, he was a member of the first Law Enforcement Explorer Post in Bradford County. Major Konkel has been employed with the Sheriff’s Office since 1994, he is dual certified in Corrections and Law Enforcement. He began his career as a Reserve Deputy and advanced through the ranks to his current position. He has received numerous certifications, commendations, and advanced training courses to include: Line Supervision; Field Training Officer; Injury and Death Investigations; Narcotics Investigations; Community Relations; Sex Crimes Investigations; Criminal Interview/Interrogations; and Advanced DUI related courses, to name a few. Major Konkel is also a General Instructor, Firearms Instructor and Driving Instructor. He is a graduate of the Rural Executive Management Institute (R.E.M.I.) and was a recipient of the American Police Hall of Frame’s “Life Saving Award”. He has also successfully completed the FBI National Academy’s “F.E.D.S.” Program and the Florida Sheriff’s Association’s Commanders Academy (Class V).  

Major Dawn McKinley began her career with the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office in 1988 and now oversees the Corrections Division.  In her current position she is responsible for several areas of operation to include Animal Services, Court Services, Jail, Sex Offender/Predator Unit and Work Crews.  Major McKinley is also a current Florida Model Jail Standards auditor, a Board Member for Communities in Schools, and a Child Abduction Response Team member. 

During her career, Major McKinley has held many positions as she has progressed through the ranks as Shift Supervisor, Administrative Lieutenant and Captain. She is also a former member of the BCSO SWAT team as their intel support staff. 

Major McKinley has completed an extensive list of advanced training courses resulting in various certifications. Most recently, she was selected to attend the Florida Sheriff’s Association’s Commander Academy and graduated the academy with class IX. Major McKinley also maintains her certification through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in both corrections and law enforcement which greatly expands her ability to serve Bradford County where she has resided with her family for more than 30 years.   

Captain Kevin Mueller is the Patrol Division Commander for the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office.  His responsibilities include the Uniformed Patrolling Unit, the K-9 Unit, the School Protection Unit, Civil Court Order Service, the Training Unit and the Guardian Program.   

Captain Mueller graduated from Bradford Highschool in 1994 and then attended Santa Fe Community College and Vincennces University.  He has obtained an Associate in Science Degree from Vincennes University.  Captain Mueller has worked in Bradford County as a law enforcement officer since 1997. During his career he has served in the Patrol Division, the Criminal Investigations Division, an Illegal Narcotic Task Force and the Special Weapons and Tactics Team.  He began his career in the Patrol Division prior to transferring to the Investigation Division in 2001. During his time in the Criminal Investigations Division Captain Mueller served as a Detective and a Detective Sergeant prior to being promoted to Lieutenant in 2015. He transferred to the Patrol Division in 2017 and was promoted to Captain in 2020.   He is a graduate of the F.B.I. Executive Leadership Development Course, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Leadership Academy and the Florida Sherriff’s Association Commander’s Academy.  Captain Mueller has received specialized training concerning Homicide Investigations, Crimes against Children, Interviews and Interrogation, Computerized Voice Stress Examination (C.V.S.A.) Truth Verification, Officer Involved Shootings, Internal Affairs, Tactical Responses to Crisis, and many other educational courses. He is a Criminal Justice Standards and Training certified Law Enforcement Instructor. Captain Mueller was awarded the 2001 Officer of The Year Award, the 2010 Detective of The Year Award and the Distinguished Service Award which was presented by the Florida Council on Crime and Delinquency. Captain Mueller is honored to be part of the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office and is proud to serve this community 

Captain Josh Luke is the Criminal Investigations and Communications Commander for the Sheriff’s Office. He grew up in Bradford County and graduated from Bradford High School in 2002. Upon graduation, Captain Luke attended St. Johns Community College where he earned his Criminal Justice Standards in 2005 as a certified Law Enforcement Officer. He began his career in law enforcement in July of 2005 as a Deputy Sheriff with the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office in the patrol division. In 2009, he became a State Law Enforcement Officer with the Florida Department of Transportation Motor Carrier Compliance Office, now known as the Florida Highway Patrol. In 2012, he returned to his roots with the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office as a Deputy Sheriff. Shortly after, he was promoted to the rank of Detective and assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division where he worked for two years. He then transferred into the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force in 2014 as a Narcotics Detective, where he worked until he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant over the Criminal Investigations Unit. In 2017, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, being in command of the Criminal Investigations Unit, Bradford County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force, Internal Affairs and Background Investigations. In 2020, he was promoted to the rank of Captain also being tasked with the command of the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center. Captain Luke has received numerous hours of specialized training including Interviews and Interrogations, Sex Crimes, Death Investigations, Computerized Voice Stress Analyzer Examination (C.V.S.A), Basic Clandestine Lab and Site Safety Certification Course, Highway Interdiction, Basic SWAT School with the Florida SWAT Association, the Drug Unit Commander Course, FBI National Academy’s “F.E.D.S.” Program and several others. Captain Luke was awarded the Deputy Sheriff of the Year in 2006 and Detective of the Year in 2013. Captain Luke enjoys spending time with his family, hunting and fishing. 

Captain Dalton Diggs began his full-time career with the Sheriff’s Office in 2015 as a Corrections Deputy in the jail and has moved through the ranks while working in such positions as work crew supervisor, Operations Lieutenant and SWEAT program Coordinator for the agency. He has earned recognition as the 2016 Correctional Deputy of the year and was awarded the Sheriff’s Choice Award in 2018 through his employment with the Sheriff’s Office. Along with Sheriff Smith, Captain Diggs was honored with the 2018 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major Service Award  presented by the Concerned Citizens of Bradford County, Inc. Prior to working for the Sheriff’s Office, Captain Diggs worked with the Department of Military Affairs in the Florida Youth Challenge Academy as a Cadre Platoon Sergeant and served as a member of their Honor Guard/Ceremonial Unit.   

Captain Diggs remains involved in Bradford County and surrounding areas through participation in community-based programs and events.  He presently serves as a Board Member for the Bradford Education Foundation and continues to work with at risk youth. Captain Diggs has a personal commitment to being an active member of the community as well as being an effective mentor.  

Lieutenant Bradley G. Witt is the Emergency Management Director for Bradford County. Lt. Witt was selected by Sheriff Gordon Smith to fill this position on August 27th, 2020 and was confirmed on September 8^th, 2020 by a unanimous vote of the Bradford County Board of County Commissioners.

Lt.  Witt began his service to the citizens of Bradford County in October 2012 when he was hired as a Patrol Officer with the Starke Police Department before coming over to the Sheriff’s Office in December 2014. Prior to his current role, Lt. Witt has served as a Patrol Deputy, Patrol Sergeant, and Detective Sergeant.

During his career, Lt. Witt has undergone hundreds of hours of advanced training relating to emergency management, criminal investigations, background investigations, and patrol operations. Lt. Witt is a Certified Examiner for the Computerized Voice Stress Analyzer (CVSA) as well as a Criminal Justice Standards & Training Commission (CJSTC) certified instructor. He is a graduate of the Florida Sheriff’s Association Commanders Academy Class #12 and holds the designation of Florida Associate Emergency Manager (FAEM) through the Florida Emergency Preparedness Association.

As the Emergency Management Director, Lt. Witt is responsible for the oversight of the county’s emergency preparedness and response programs, direction and coordination of the County Emergency Operations Center, and serves as the administrator of the Sheriff’s Office Marine Team, Drone Team, Mobile Command Post, and deployable assets.

Lt. Witt was named the 2018 Detective of the Year and has been recognized for his role in the development of the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office Guardian Program, a comprehensive school safety initiative. Lt. Witt resides in Bradford County with his wife, son, and daughter.

Lieutenant Mikey Sweeney is the Criminal Investigations and Drug Task Force Supervisor along with serving as the S.W.A.T. Commander for the Sheriff’s Office. Lt. Sweeney served in the United States Marine Corps where he deployed in multiple operations to include Anti-Terrorism Operations in Southwest Asia and Combat Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2011 Lt. Sweeney relocated to Bradford County, Florida after serving in the United States Marine Corps and began his law enforcement career in 2012. He started in the Patrol Division until 2013, when he was promoted to the rank of Detective within the Criminal Investigation Unit. In 2016 Lt. Sweeney joined the Drug Task Force Unit where he was later promoted to the rank of Sergeant. In 2020, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant over the Criminal Investigations Unit and Drug Task Force. Lt. Sweeney has received numerous hours in specialized training including Interviews and Interrogations, Death Investigations, Deviant Sexual Behavior and Related Criminal Activity, Drug Unit Commander Course, Task Force Commander Leadership, Executive Leadership, Methamphetamine Investigative Management, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Surveillance Detection, Drug Interdiction, Undercover Operations, Tactical Narcotics Techniques, Homicide and Questioned Death Scenes, Advanced Dynamic Entries and Assaults, Advanced Combat Marksmanship, Firearms Instructor, Soviet Small Arms Weapon Instructor, S.E.R.E. (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape), Police Applicant Background Investigations, Advanced S.W.A.T. Operator Course, Ballistic Shield Operator Course, Improvised Explosive Device Dog Handler School and several others.  Lt. Sweeney was awarded Detective of the Year in 2016 and received a Letter of Commendation from Governor Rick Scott for his role in Law Enforcement Operations in Bay County during the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. Lt. Sweeney enjoys teaching firearms and tactical techniques and continues to work with the Military along with teaching advanced security classes throughout the United States on his time off. 

Beth Griffin is currently the Operations Lieutenant for Bradford County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Division, the Agency PREA Compliance Manager, and a certified Florida Model Jail Standards auditor.  Her present responsibilities include the daily operations of the facility to include compliance with mandated operation standards set forth by the Florida Sheriff’s Association and the Unites States Department of Justice. Lieutenant Griffin attended Bradford County High School, received her Associates of Arts degree from Santa Fe Community College and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Saint Leo University.  

Lieutenant Griffin first became certified as a Corrections Officer in 1994 and worked with the Florida Department of Corrections in various positions until 2012 when she retired at the rank of Lieutenant.  She began working for the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office inside the jail in 2013. During her time employed in corrections, she has been recognized as Corrections Officer of the Year in 1999 with the Department of Corrections and most recently Corrections Deputy of the Year with the Bradford County Sheriff’s office in 2018.  

Throughout Lieutenant Griffin’s corrections career of twenty-five plus years,  she has completed  many hours of additional training to include those focusing on leadership, communication techniques, facility security, safety awareness and supervision of incarcerated individuals. She is currently preparing to return to the classroom so that she may fulfill her goal of obtaining a Masters in Critical Incident Management.  Lieutenant Griffin enjoys working with the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office and living in Bradford County. 

Lieutenant Shaun Burgin is the Deputy Patrol Commander and also Supervisor of the school protection deputy unit.  Lieutenant Burgin is a life long resident of Bradford County and Graduated from Bradford High School in 1998. Lieutenant Burgin Graduated Gateway College in 2012 as a certified Law Enforcement Officer. He has been a part of the school protection unit since joining the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office in 2012. Lieutenant Burgin spent several years at Bradford High School as the school protection deputy before being promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Since being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, he now supervises the school protection deputies and the school guardians within our school district. He works alongside the administration at the Bradford County School District to ensure the safety and security of all the school and students in Bradford County. He has received the Deputy of the Year Award in 2015 and in 2018. Lieutenant Burgin has completed advanced training courses that include: Basic SRO, Line Supervision, Hostage Negotiations and he is also a certified General Instructor. Lieutenant Burgin is part of the traffic safety team which meets with State and Local Officials about traffic concerns within the County. Lieutenant Burgin considers it a Great Honor to wake up every day and serve the youth and citizens of his community.      

Lieutenant William (Bill) Goodge is a new addition to the command staff at the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office. He is currently the Administrative Lieutenant with our Jail Division. He oversees the operation of Animal Services, our Courthouse, and the work crew. He has been on the Bradford/Union Swat team for approximately 7 years. Bill is a native of Bradford County and started his career with the Department of Corrections in 1983. He became a part of the BCSO family in 2009 and looks forward to many more years of service. Bill is also a proud member of the Hampton City Counsel. He has been a loving husband for 31 years and is a proud father to one son. Most importantly, he is a god fearing man and cares deeply for his community.