14 SHERIFF'S STAR | VOLUME 70 | ISSUE 3
SHERIFFS 2026 SUMMER CONFERENCE
HONORING THE MISSION: The New FSA Friend of the Sheriff Award
The Florida Sheriffs Association is proud to unveil the redesigned Friend of the Sheriff Award, an exact replica of the FSA Law Enforcement Memorial that stands at the center of our Tallahassee campus. Presented to elected and public officials who have worked to advance the public safety mission of Florida's sheriffs, the award carries meaning that goes beyond recognition.
The memorial it replicates was envisioned by late FSA Executive Director Buddy Phillips as a place for families, colleagues, and fellow officers to reflect on the lives of fallen deputies. The artist who created the monument described its figures this way: "The deputies at attention show the resolve and willingness to serve in the future; the partner holding the fallen officer's hat shows the overwhelming sense of loss one can feel for a friend; the sheriff's slight gesture toward the widow and daughter conveys the support for families that the Sheriffs Association offers." At the 2026 Sheriffs Summer Conference, the Friend of the Sheri Award was presented to:
■ DEA Administrator Terry Cole
■ White House Border Czar Tom Homan
■ Florida Senate President Ben Albritton
■ Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
■ 103rd FSA President and Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma
A side view of the FSA Friend of the Sheri• award.
