The interim Flagler Beach police chief, a Miami-area police chief who lives in Flagler part time, and the former leader of Volusia County Beach Safety are among the nearly 30 people who have applied to become the next Flagler Beach police chief.
Whoever is chosen will succeed Matt Doughney, who served as police chief from 2013 until his retirement on Jan. 2. Prior to his position as chief, Doughney was a former Daytona Beach Police captain.
“Acting Chief Lance Blanchette will fill the role admirably in the interim,” City Manager Dale Martin wrote in an email to The News-Journal. Blanchette most recently served as deputy chief.
Martin wrote in an email that an “oral board” is being formed to interview the applicants. No law enforcement officials from Volusia and Flagler counties will be on the board. Martin said the intent is “to minimize the appearance of familiarity.”
“I hope to conduct the interviews in early February with start date hopefully in March,” Martin wrote, adding that the published salary range is $92,716 – $152,982.
Martin said he will review the applicants and select a “manageable number of semi/finalists.” They will be invited to interview with both Martin and the oral board.
“Although I will rely heavily upon the recommendation of the oral board, I am responsible for the final hiring decision. The City Commission does not play a role in this personnel process as articulated in the City Charter,” Martin wrote.
Following is an alphabetical list of candidates and information directly from their applications.
James Beck, Oklahoma
James Beck: Beck wrote that he has more than 16 years experience in law enforcement, including four years as sheriff of Delaware County in Oklahoma until he resigned in December 2024. He worked as police chief for the Port Gamble S’Kallam Tribe in Washington State for six months until resigning in April 2025.
Jon Bentivegna, New Jersey
Jon Bentivegna: Bentivegna retired from “the New Jersey State Police in 2021 after satisfying 25 years of pension obligation between three agencies,” he wrote. He worked for a time for the New York City Police Department. His wife, a teacher, will be retiring soon and they plan to relocate to Florida, he wrote.
Lance Blanchette, Flagler Beach
Lance Blanchette: Currently serving as the interim chief, Blanchette wrote that he has more than 32 years of experience in law enforcement, including serving as deputy chief of police for Flagler Beach for the past 7 ½ years. He said he has developed strong relationships in the community and understands its needs.
Blanchette began his career with the Daytona Beach Police Department in 1994 and rose through the ranks, becoming a captain in 2012. He retired from that department in 2018.
Blanchette also included reference letters praising his abilities from Flagler County Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord, Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young, Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly and Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood. Blanchette also has the unanimous support of the Flagler Beach Law Enforcement Police Union. Blanchette also received a strong letter of support from Melissa Parish, the city’s library director who wrote he knows the community well.
Stephen Cole, Flagler County
Stephen Cole: Cole wrote he has more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement, 26 years of those with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, from where he retired in 2019 as a division chief. He is currently the training coordinator with the Florida Sheriff’s Association. Cole said he led racketeering investigations that led to the dismantling of a “Blood” street gang and a career criminal burglary ring in Flagler County.
Justin Click, Illinois
Justin Click: Investigations commander with the Glen Carbon Police Department in Illinois, where he has worked in various roles since 2011.
Pedro ‘Pete’ Delgado, West Miami
Pedro “Pete” Delgado: Chief of the West Miami Police Department, where he has worked since 2001. He also worked as an officer with the Hialeah Police Department from 1995 to 2001, and before that he was with West Miami Police from 1991 to 1995. He also served as a military police officer in the U.S. Army. Delgado wrote that he is a part-time resident and homeowner in Flagler Beach.
Andrew Ethridge, Volusia County
Andrew Ethridge: Volusia County Beach Safety Director until he resigned in March 2024, Ethridge worked for Volusia County for about 25 years, starting in 1996 as a lifeguard. He became director in 2021. A change in state law gave the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office law enforcement authority on beaches and led to some lifeguards leaving to join the sheriff’s office or other jobs.
Ethridge went on to pursue other opportunities. In his resume, he wrote that from 2024 to present he has been a private contractor to the U.S. Department of Justice, including as a mobile trainer to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Edwin Fingers, Missouri
Edward Fingers: Police officer with the St. Louis County Police Department in Missouri from December 1998 to present. Worked as a Homeland Security officer with the U.S. Air Force-Civil Air Patrol. Police officer with the Valley Park Missouri Police Department from 1995 to 1998. Fingers wrote he has visited Daytona Beach area as part of his hobbies involving motorcycles and Jeeps.
Stephen Friend, Georgia
Stephen Friend: A former FBI agent. Friend wrote in his application that he appears in the media regularly to comment on topics related to law enforcement. Friend had his security clearance revoked by the FBI due to violations of guidelines, according to a May 18, 2023 story in the Washington Post. Friend was suspended from the FBI during the Biden Administration and was reinstated when Trump regained office, according to a story in the New York Post. But Friend was ousted again last year due to comments considered to be against FBI Director Kath Patel, according to the Post story. Friend wrote “True Blue: My Journey from Beat Cop to Suspended FBI Whistleblower,” in which Friend “explains his decision to turn whistleblower and expose FBI politicization and abuse against conservative America,” according to a description on Goodreads.
Joseph Hawes, South Carolina
Joseph Hawes: Chief of the Pacolet Police Department in South Carolina. He also worked from 2003 to 2017 with the Horry County Police Department and also worked with the department of public safety at a university.
Daniel Jones, New Hampshire
Daniel Jones: is currently with the Litchfield Police Department in New Hampshire which he joined in January 2024. Previously he worked with the Wildwood Police Department in Florida from January 2023 to December 2023, and the State Attorney’s Office as an investigator in Fort Pierce, Florida, from February 2022 to January 2023.
Andrew Klopfer, Pennsylvania
Andrew Klopfer: Assistant special agent in charge with the FBI in Philadelphia since 2024. He has been with the FBI since 2012 in different roles.
Thomas Levins, Florida
Thomas Levins: Deputy police chief with the Clewiston Police Department in Florida from June 2021 to present. Previously served with the Glades County Sheriff’s Office and Lantana Police Department.
Easton McDonald, Virginia
Easton McDonald: Serves with the Alexandria Police Department in Virginia, where he has worked as assistant chief of police -bureau chief; Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia from May 2001 to March 2023.
James Meade, Florida
James Meade: Law enforcement outreach coordinator at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, where he has worked since 2022. Mount Dora police chief for one year and 11 months, resigning in June 2022. Previously worked with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.
Kevin Nosowicz, Florida
Kevin Nosowicz: Chief of Broward County Schools Police in Florida since April 2024. Prior to that he was a lieutenant with the school police. Also worked as a captain with the Miramar Police Department.
Gabriela Pardo, New York
Gabriela Pardo: Currently a consultant, Pardo was with the New York City Police Department, where she began in 2002 and rose to the rank of lieutenant. She also worked as a detective and coordinated special projects. She was with the department until October 2023.
Kevin Pedri, South Daytona
Kevin Pedri: Currently a lieutenant with the South Daytona Police Department, where he has worked for 14 years. Pedri also works part-time as a “Navigate 360” trainer on active-shooter preparedness for schools, churches and other organizations.
Donald Pezzuto, Illinois
Donald Pezzuto: Currently with court security with the Will County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois, where he has worked since 2012. He has also worked with the Rockdale Police Department and the Chicago Police Department in Illinois.
Nicholas Ojanovac, Georgia
Nicholas Ojanovac: Captain with the Chatham County Police Department in Georgia. Before that, he was a captain at the Marco Island Police Department in Florida.
Anthony Raimondo, Florida
Anthony Raimondo: Executive director of development services with the city of Sanford from 2021 to present; deputy chief of the Sanford Police Department. He was an officer with the Bunnell Police Department from 1996 to 1999. Served in the Marine Corps.
Scott Savedow, Florida
Scott Savedow: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, criminal investigations, from 2016 to present, in Plantation, Florida.
Guy Turcotte, Kentucky
Guy Turcotte: Worked as a Flagler Beach police officer from 1993 to 2002; Turcotte worked with the Glasgow Police Department in Kentucky until he was terminated in August 2023, according to his application. Turcotte was fired after he was found to have violated the Glasgow’s Police Department’s policies on ethics and conduct, according to a story in the Bowling Green Daily News. That stemmed from complaints against Turcotte from workers at a pet grooming business. Turcotte was charged with harassment and a Kentucky jury acquitted him, according to the story.
Victor Velez, Orlando
Victor Velez: Orlando Police officer from February 2024 to present. He worked for 21 years as a police officer with the Stratford Police in Connecticut, where he was a lieutenant.
Matthew Wojslawowicz, Charleston
Matthew Wojslawowicz: Lieutenant with the Charleston Police Department where he has worked since 2004 in various roles.
Jeffrey VanAuken, New York
Jeffrey VanAuken: Currently a major and troop commander with the New York State Police, where he has worked since 1994 in various roles, starting as a trooper.
Jonathan Welch, New York
Jonathan Welch: Worked as chief of police at Canandaigua in New York from 2008 to 2016. He has also worked for Owego Police in New York and police departments in Pennsylvania. He was also a correctional officer in Pennsylvania and a wrestling coach at Mansfield University in Pennsylvania.
Robert Wyckoff, Colorado
Robert Wyckoff: Lieutenant from 2019 to present with the Denver Police Department where he has worked since July 2016 in various roles.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Almost 30 LEOs vie to become Flagler Beach’s top cop. Here’s the list.
Reporting by Frank Fernandez, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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