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Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons has been in the field of law enforcement for more than 30 years.

He previously served as Chief Deputy for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, assistant county administrator for Escambia County, and as police chief for the Pensacola Police Department before retiring from the police department in August 2015. He began his law enforcement career in 1984 as a corrections officer for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and was hired by the Pensacola Police Department as an officer in 1986. His assignments have included Patrol, Investigations, Narcotics and SWAT.

Sheriff Simmons has received numerous department awards in recognition of his service to the community, including a Bronze Cross and the Gold Medal of Valor, which is the department’s highest award for heroism. He also has been named to the Police and Firefighters Heroes Hall of Fame, the Pine Forest High School Alumni Hall of Fame, and received the Volunteer of the Year and Sports Lifetime Achievement awards from the Emerald Coast Youth Sports Association. In 2013, he received the Mayor’s Leadership Award for the city of Pensacola.

The Pine Forest High School graduate holds an Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Pensacola Junior College, a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Troy State University, and a Master of Public Administration degree from Troy State University. He also graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA.