JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Former Sheriff Mike Williams is officially returning to law enforcement in Jacksonville, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
As First Coast News first reported, Williams will take over as the Special Agent in Charge of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in the Jacksonville field office.
Williams retired from his position in June 2022 following controversy surrounding his place of residence.
First Coast News' Kailey Tracy was speaking with former Sheriff Williams one-one-one about gun violence in the city when she also asked him if he still lived in Duval County.
"Currently, I do not live in Jacksonville and plan to stay outside of Jacksonville in Nassau County when I retire," Williams said.
The city charter states that the sheriff "shall reside in Duval County". If the sheriff moves out of the county, the seat becomes vacant.
Williams initially argued that he was protected, based on a 2010 decision by the Florida Legislature that repealed a law requiring sheriffs to live in the county they serve. However, Charter experts said state law did not override the local charter's residency requirements.
The former sheriff later said a battle over his residency would "not be good for our community" when he announced his retirement.
The Florida Retirement System requires a minimum of eight years of employment to qualify for a state pension – known as “vesting.” An FRS employee who is vested is entitled to 3 percent of his or her salary for each year of employment. Williams, whose sheriff’s salary was north of $180,000 a year, would be entitled to $43,000 annually if he retired at 60. Since he is still in his mid-50s, his actual annual earnings would be about $32,000 a year.
Because Williams retired about one year shy of the eight-year mark, he is currently ineligible to collect a state pension.
Williams does receive a city pension for his 23 years of service as a JSO officer, which amounts to about $90,000 dollars a year. But if he takes the job as Special Agent in Charge of the Jacksonville field office, he would be able to “connect” his FDLE service to his time as sheriff, reaching the 8-year vesting threshold.