The Escambia County Sheriff's Office (ECSO) or Escambia Sheriff's Office (ESO) is the primary law enforcement agency of unincorporated Escambia County and the town of Century. ECSO is headed by a sheriff, who serves a four-year term and is elected in a partisan election. The current sheriff is Chip Simmons. Department Structure The Escambia County Sheriff's Office is headed by a sheriff. Currently, the Sheriff is Chip W. Simmons who replaced former Sheriff David Morgan in 2021. Simmons was previously Chief of Police for the City of Pensacola, Florida, in Escambia County, Florida. Chief Deputy The rank of chief deputy is the second-highest rank in the Office, reporting directly to the Sheriff. Each chief deputy serves as a member of the senior command staff and assists the sheriff in managing civilian and commissioned personnel. Precincts Central Booking Division: 1700 West Leonard Street, Pensacola Pensacola Beach (1st Precinct) Substation: 43 Fort Pickens Road, Pensacola Beach Big Lagoon (2nd Precinct) Substation: 12950 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola South (Warrington) Pensacola (3rd Precinct) Substation: 20 North Navy Blvd., Pensacola North Pensacola (4th Precinct) Substation: 97 W. Hood Drive. Pensacola Cantonment/Molino (5th Precinct) Substation: 5844 North Hwy 29, Molino Century (6th Precinct) Substation: 7500 North Century Blvd., Century Rank structure Before October 2013, the sheriff had control over the Escambia County Jail, located at 2935 North L Street, but after a U.S. Department of Justice investigation reported that the jail did not provide required minimum services and was chronically understaffed, the jail was moved under the direct supervision of the County Commissioners. In April 2014 a natural gas explosion rocked the jail, causing some to reconsider the wisdom of direct Commission administration. History The office of sheriff was established with the transfer from Spain in 1821. The Spanish title Alguazil was initially used for the office. Henri Peire, a former privateer and colonel in the United States Army, was named the first sheriff by General Andrew Jackson. On 23 August 1877, the notorious outlaw John Wesley Hardin was arrested by Sheriff William H. Hutchinson working with Texas Rangers Lt. John B. Armstrong and Jack R. Duncan, accompanied by nine deputies. In the 21st century relations between the Escambia County Sheriff's Office and federal law enforcement were occasionally strained. In 2005 under Sheriff McNesby, disagreements over the release of information in drug cases led to a monthlong stand-off between the sheriff's office and the U.S. Attorney's