OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla — Nineteen people have been notified by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office that their honorary “special deputy” badges have been revoked, a move that came after the sheriff’s arrest.
While the badges do not grant arrest powers, they do allow people to help with events if they are needed. But the distribution of the badges are being looked at by the sheriff in light of recent events surrounding suspended Sheriff Marcos Lopez and an ongoing racketeering investigation.
9 Investigates has already reported that one of the recipients was involved in Lopez’s campaign. Now 9 Investigates has learned another man named in the federal case but not charged also received one of the badges.
“I’m not a fan of that program,” said interim Sheriff Chris Blackmon, who promised in June to review or potentially dismantle the program entirely.
A full internal review is now underway, and we don’t have answers yet on how many badges have been returned and how many people are out there or if the program will continue.
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