The primary function of the Warrants Division Fugitive Recovery Unit is to follow leads from local residents and law enforcement agencies and perform door-to-door enforcement and execution of criminal felony Warrants.  The Fugitive Recovery Unit strives to be as well trained as possible in all areas of law enforcement, while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism possible.

The Bay County Warrants Division enters all criminal Felony warrants into the BCSO Records Management System, the National Crime Information Center and Florida Crime Information Center as soon as they are received from the Bay County Clerk's Office in a timely manner. The Warrants Division is also responsible for the extradition of defendants that have been arrested in other counties or states by other agencies on Bay County charges.  The Extraditions Coordinator is responsible for processing Fugitive from Justice Warrants, which involve persons arrested within Bay County who are wanted by other agencies outside the state of Florida.

Duties of our clerical staff include assisting the general public, computer input of all warrants received from the courts and mailing notification of summons to appear in court to defendants. If a defendant fails to respond, the Warrants division then begins actively pursuing the defendant through a variety of different techniques and these defendants are located and arrested.

Our goal is to maintain efficient, professional, sensitive, compassionate and respectful manner while executing our responsibilities as peace officers in the State of Florida.

The Warrants Division is under the command of Captain Joe Smiley, a thirty year veteran of the Bay County Sheriff's Office. He has served as a Patrol Officer, School Resource Deputy, Warrants Sergeant and Warrants Lieutenant. Captain Smiley has also served as a Deputy U.S. Marshal with the United States Marshal's Task Force.  In addition, he has received numerous awards to include the American Legion Post 356 Law Officer of the Year Award, the Medal of Commendation in 2004, Deputy of the Month in 1996, 1999 and 2004. He also received a Commendation in 1997 and the BCSO Employee of the Year in 1996. Captain Smiley has also served on the BCSO Honor Guard.

Rev 06/01/2023