Braxton named new HC chief deputy

CHIPLEY – There will be a new chief deputy in Holmes County. Chipley Police Sgt. John Braxton said Tuesday that he is taking the position under newly elected Sheriff Tim Brown.

Braxton has largely worked narcotics, including undercover operations, for four years in Chipley. His work was noticed in July 2007 when the Florida Police Chiefs Association named Sgt. John Braxton, Jr. the Lee McGehee Officer of the Year to recognize police officers that have demonstrated exceptional achievement and shown a genuine commitment to their profession, their agency and the public they serve.

“We are very fortunate to have John with us,” Chipley Police Chief Kevin Crews said when he announced the award. “Over the past three years we have averaged 115-120 drug cases a year, and 95 percent are dealers, not just possession cases.”

Braxton comes to police work naturally. His father, John Braxton, is the former Holmes County sheriff. “I’ve been at it for over 25 years, everywhere from Pensacola to Key West,” Braxton said.

He has also worked on task forces with state and federal agencies, principally in narcotics work. This includes the Drug Enforcement Administration’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program, and the “Blue Lightning” program with U.S. Customs, including work in Latin America and the Caribbean. Braxton has also worked with the U.S. Marshall Service and Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).

Braxton and other Chipley officers have worked on a number of multi-jurisdictional cases.

Many of the cases Braxton works involve methamphetamine. He said there is little chance of getting off the drug once you get on due to the high purity of modern meth.

“Studies have shown that meth has the highest pleasure rate of any drug, but it changes the brain, making it almost impossible to kick the habit,” he said. “Only about six percent of those who want to get off the drug can do so.

“You really don’t have a chance once you start. There are a few that can get off it, but not many. “It’s much worse than crack cocaine.”