DeSantis Fills Pasco Sheriff Vacancy After Judicial Interim Appointment

Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Jeffrey Harrington as Pasco County Sheriff on Wednesday evening.

The appointment was announced around 8:30 p.m. by the sheriff's office. It completes the remaining two years of Chris Nocco's term. Nocco resigned to run for the Florida Senate. The governor's office had not issued a standard news release by Thursday morning. The Tampa Bay Times reported that Nocco filed a petition on Monday. He asked the chief judge for Pinellas and Pasco counties to appoint Harrington as interim sheriff. This move followed DeSantis' failure to make an official appointment by the deadline.

Nocco's resignation was set to take effect at 11:59 p.m. on Monday. He notified the governor of his departure in May. The Florida Constitution grants the governor primary executive appointment authority for state, district, and county offices. Despite this authority, the governor's office had not made an announcement by 9 p.m. Monday. Judge Shawn Crane then issued an order appointing Harrington as an interim replacement. The order cited Florida law allowing judicial appointment when a sheriff fails to attend court due to sickness, death, or other causes. The interim role carries all duties and compensation of the elected position for the duration of the nonattendance.

The timing of the appointment affects the legal authority of the agency's deputies. In Florida, deputy sheriffs are sworn under the specific sheriff to whom they report. They must sign a new oath when a new sheriff takes office. An official lapse between Nocco's resignation and the interim appointment would have left deputies without legal authority to carry out their duties. DeSantis' office did not respond to questions about the delay on Tuesday. A spokesperson directed a follow-up query to the public records unit on Thursday without addressing the timing issue.

Harrington has worked in law enforcement for approximately 30 years. He joined the sheriff's office in 1991 as a detention deputy at the Land O' Lakes jail. He later served as police chief in New Port Richey for 18 years. He returned to the Pasco Sheriff's Office in 2011. He served as Nocco's chief deputy for about a decade until his retirement in June 2024. Harrington worked as a private consultant before returning to the agency as a contractor for the Emergency Management division in May 2025. Nocco appointed him chief of staff on Sept. 23, 2026.

Nocco won the special election for the District 21 Senate seat on Tuesday. He posted a statement on social media regarding the appointment. He described Harrington as a man of high honor, integrity, and character. He noted that Harrington showed deep compassion for the office's employees. Nocco said Harrington stood shoulder to shoulder with him during challenging times. He stated that confidence in the agency's future comes from its employees and Harrington's leadership.