OKEECHOBEE – Okeechobee County was recently honored for a program that promotes young people entering public safety careers.

At the National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference in Philadelphia on July 14, Okeechobee County received a 2025 NACo Achievement Award in the category of Criminal Justice and Public Safety.

Since 1970, the NACo Achievement Awards have recognized outstanding county government programs and services. Through a non-competitive application process, noteworthy programs receive awards in 18 categories that cover a vast range of county responsibilities.

 Okeechobee County was selected as Best in the Category of Criminal Justice and Public Safety for our program titled: “Okeechobee County Launching High School Heroes Into Public Safety Careers.”

 Okeechobee County, in partnership with the Education Foundation of Okeechobee and the Okeechobee County School District, coordinated a set of Public Safety Career Programs to address workforce shortages in fire rescue, dispatch, and law enforcement. These efforts include a state-certified Fire CTE Academy that provides industry-recognized certification, a 911 Dispatch CTE course with real-world simulation-based training, and a Public Safety Cadet Program that engages students in leadership, service, and emergency response.

Together, these organizations created a replicable model for growing a sustainable, locally driven public safety talent pipeline in a rural community-one that has increased awareness of local career opportunities, strengthened recruitment and retention, and empowered student including those from underserved backgrounds-to pursue employment, post-secondary certification, or advanced training in high-demand public safety fields.