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 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 uniform 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.

Chief Deputy Tommi Lyter is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Sheriff’s Office. Chief Deputy Lyter comes to the ECSO with more than 30-years of law enforcement experience, a master’s degree in public administration and is a graduate from the FBI Academy. During his time at the Pensacola Police Department he served on the K9 team, SWAT team, Street Crimes and Investigation Units, he was a Field Training Officer (FTO), and a member of the Dive Team. In 2015, Lyter served as the Assistant Police Chief at the Pensacola Police Department. In May of 2017, he was appointed Chief of Police by then Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward. Deputy Chief Lyter took over the roll of Chief Deputy on January 5th, 2021.