Jesse Scheckner
Fellsmere Police Chief Keith Touchberry’s campaign for Indian River County Sheriff now has the backing of a statewide law enforcement union he led last year.
The Tallahassee-based Florida Police Chiefs Association (FPCA) announced its support of Touchberry’s bid this year to unseat Sheriff Eric Flowers.
“Chief Touchberry is an extraordinary public servant (and) proven champion for law enforcement and public safety,” FPCA President Charles “Chuck” Broadway said in a statement. “We look forward to continue working with Chief Touchberry on behalf of the people of Indian River County and the state of Florida.”
FPCA First Vice President Charlie Vazquez added, “Chief Touchberry has the knowledge, experience, and relationships necessary to address complex public safety issues, and that’s why the FPCA endorses him as the next Sheriff of Indian River County.”
A former member of the U.S. Army Reserve and Marine Corps, Touchberry — who also ran for Sheriff in 2020 — has been a law enforcement professional in Indian River County for almost 35 years. He began his career in 1989 with the Vero Beach Police Department, where he rose to the rank of Captain before departing to lead the Fellsmere Police Department in 2013.
His police work has included patrol, K-9, SWAT, criminal investigations, accreditation, training, supervision and management assignments. He also works as an educator, teaching at “Future Chiefs” seminars with the FPCA and criminal justice courses as an adjunct professor at the Florida Institute of Technology and Indian River State College.
In its 2022-23 term, Touchberry led the FPCA as President, during which he was “the impetus behind the creation of the Command Officer Development Initiative (CODI), a model system that will guide the training of future law enforcement leaders and the evolution of the law enforcement profession,” a press note from his campaign said.
He also initiated the Future Educators Response to Active Shooters (FERTAS) program at the Fellsmere Police Department in collaboration with Indian River State College, the Treasure Coast Police Chiefs and Sheriffs Association, and Indian River, Okeechobee, Martin and St. Lucie counties.
“Chief Touchberry inspires trust and commitment in those he leads because he lives true to his values,” FPCA Second Vice President Robert Bage said. “At a time when law enforcement agencies face tremendous recruiting and retention issues, the (FPCA) is especially proud to support a leader who will bring people together like Chief Touchberry.”
Touchberry faces two fellow Republicans in the Sheriff’s race. One is Flowers, the incumbent who won the 2020 Primary with 62% of the vote and the General with 80% voter support.
The other is Indian River County Sheriff’s Capt. Milo Thornton, whom Flowers promoted from Major to Deputy Chief in 2021 before demoting him in April 2022 following an internal probe into complaints of intimidation and an “autocratic management style.” Despite being cleared of wrongdoing, Flowers nevertheless cut Thornton’s rank and pay and reassigned him to the department’s school safety division.
Deborah Cooney, a no-party banking administrator and musician who placed a distant second behind Flowers in 2020, is again seeking the county’s top cop post.
Her 2020 campaign prioritized police reforms, including ending corruption within the department; expanding diversion programs for addicts and non-violent misdemeanor offenders; banning police unions and controversial techniques such as no-knock raids and chokeholds; and support for causes like Black Lives Matter, Me Too and Giffords, a gun control advocacy group.
