DeSantis Names Jeff Harrington Pasco County Sheriff After Chris Nocco Wins State Senate Seat

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday appointed Jeff Harrington as Pasco County sheriff, making permanent a job Harrington had held on an interim basis for barely a day. The appointment fills the vacancy left by Chris Nocco, who resigned after nearly 15 years as sheriff and on Tuesday won a special election for a seat in the Florida Senate.

Harrington, a colonel who had been Nocco's chief of staff, will lead one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the Tampa Bay area until the 2028 election, when the office goes back on the ballot. The sheriff's office scheduled his first news conference as permanent sheriff for 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, to be streamed on the agency's Facebook page.

From interim to permanent in a day

Nocco's resignation took effect at 11:59 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, according to the sheriff's office. He had sent his resignation letter to DeSantis in May, so the governor had months of notice. But as of about 9 p.m. Monday, DeSantis's office had not named a replacement, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

That left a practical problem. Deputies are sworn in under a specific sheriff, and without someone in the office, they would lack legal authority to carry out their duties, according to the Times. Nocco petitioned the court on Monday, writing that it was "essential to have the constitutional Office of the Sheriff established" for the interim period. About three hours before the deadline, Chief Judge Shawn Crane of the 6th Judicial Circuit, which covers Pasco and Pinellas counties, named Harrington interim sheriff.

Crane's order relied on a state law that lets a judge appoint an interim sheriff when the sheriff fails to attend court. Under that law, the interim sheriff carries the same duties and pay only for the period of the vacancy. Crane wrote that there would be no duly appointed sheriff until the governor acted. "This interim appointment ensures uninterrupted law enforcement authority and operations in Pasco County," the sheriff's office said in a statement.

As of Wednesday morning, DeSantis had not announced a pick or a timeline, WUSF reported. By Wednesday evening, FOX 13 reported that the governor had appointed Harrington to the permanent post. It is unclear why the governor did not act before the resignation took effect; his office did not respond to the Times. Under the Florida Constitution, the governor has primary authority to fill vacancies in county offices such as sheriff.

Who is Jeff Harrington

Harrington has more than 30 years in law enforcement, including more than 14 with the Pasco Sheriff's Office, according to FOX 13. The Times traced a career that began at the agency in 1991, when he was hired as a detention deputy at the Land O' Lakes jail.

He later spent about 18 years with the New Port Richey Police Department and became its chief in 2010. He returned to the sheriff's office in 2011, the same year Nocco became sheriff, as a major, and rose to chief deputy before retiring in June 2024. After that he worked as a private consultant and, starting in May 2025, as a contractor for Pasco County's emergency management division. Nocco brought him back as chief of staff on Sept. 23, 2026, about six weeks before the election.

Harrington holds a doctorate from Capella University and sits on the board of trustees of Pasco-Hernando State College. In a June Facebook post, Nocco said Harrington had "made a positive impact on our community through his dedication to the Sheriff's Office."

The Times also reported that Harrington was arrested on a DUI charge after a crash in Palm Harbor in the late 1990s. His trial ended in a mistrial after a hung jury; he later pleaded no contest, was fined, lost his license for six months and was ordered to complete community service and DUI classes. He was fired by Clearwater and hired by New Port Richey within six months, according to the Times. He has said he refused a blood test because of a fear of needles and that a concussion affected his field sobriety test.

The sheriff's office told the Times that Harrington was not available for interviews and would not say whether he plans to run for a full term in 2028.

Nocco's Senate win

Nocco, a Republican, defeated Democrat Jordan Hensley, a bartender from Port Richey, in the Senate District 21 special election on Tuesday. With all precincts reporting, Nocco had about 57.7% of the vote to Hensley's 42.3%, according to WUSF.

The district covers parts of Pasco and Pinellas counties. Nocco succeeds retiring Republican Sen. Ed Hooper, who resigned the same day in May that Nocco submitted his resignation as sheriff, and will serve the remaining two years of Hooper's term. DeSantis called the special election to coincide with the general election, and Nocco's campaign had the backing of the governor and other prominent Republicans.

Nocco first became sheriff in 2011, when then-Gov. Rick Scott appointed him after Sheriff Bob White retired. Before that he had served as a captain and major at the agency, and he had earlier police experience in Philadelphia, Broward County and Fairfax County, Virginia. Voters elected him in 2012 and reelected him in 2016, 2020 and 2024.

An agency with a contested record

Harrington takes over an agency whose recent history includes one of the most scrutinized policing programs in Florida. He was part of Nocco's command staff while the sheriff's office developed its intelligence-led policing program, which identified people the agency considered likely to commit crimes. A Tampa Bay Times investigation published in 2020, which later won a Pulitzer Prize, found the program "became a system to continuously monitor and harass Pasco County residents."

The Times has not reported that Harrington directed the program. The sheriff's office defended it publicly, but it drew lawsuits and was phased out, and the office settled a lawsuit over it in 2024, according to the Times.

The new sheriff also inherits budget questions shared by sheriffs across the state. Florida voters on Tuesday approved Amendment 3, which raises the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. Sheriffs and police groups campaigned against it, warning that lower property tax collections could force cuts to public safety budgets, and county governments will begin writing 2027 budgets under the new limits next summer.

What it means for Pasco residents

For residents, the change at the top is meant to be seamless. The interim appointment kept deputies working under a sworn sheriff through the transition, and the permanent appointment gives Harrington full authority over the agency's budget, hiring and policies for the next two years.

Harrington spent most of Nocco's tenure in the agency's senior ranks. His own priorities should become clearer as he begins public appearances, starting with Thursday's news conference, where FOX 13 reported he would address the community and outline the agency's plans.

What's next

Harrington will serve as sheriff until voters choose one in the 2028 election. He has not said whether he will be a candidate. Lawmakers, including Nocco, gather in Tallahassee for the Legislature's organizational session the week of Nov. 30. Because he is serving out the final two years of Hooper's term, his Senate seat will also be on the ballot in 2028. DeSantis has also said he wants a special session before he leaves office in January to implement Amendment 3, which would put Nocco in the chamber for one of the first major votes on local government funding, including money for sheriff's offices.