BOARD SPOTLIGHT: Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast
The Florida Deputy Sheriffs Association is pleased to announce the addition of Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast to our Board of Directors.
“As a career law enforcement officer who worked my way up through the ranks, I strongly believe leaders should work tirelessly to take care of their teams who make the mission successful,” said Sheriff Prendergast. “Serving on the board of FDSA is my way of paying forward the contributions that our deputies make to our state and our communities each and every day.”
A Tampa native, Sheriff Prendergast served 31 years of active military duty service as a military police officer, with multiple combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as assignments in Africa, Europe and Asia. He culminated his military service with a tour at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa where he served as the U.S. Central Command provost marshal. He retired from active duty on October 1, 2009.
In 2011, Sheriff Prendergast was appointed as executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs by Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet, before being elected sheriff of Citrus County in 2016.
Sheriff Prendergast graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with special honors and a dual major in political science and sociology from Jacksonville State University, a Master of Arts degree with a major in international relations and a Certificate in African Studies from the University of Florida, a Master of Public Administration degree with a concentration in public management from Troy University, and a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the U.S. Army War College.
Sheriff Prendergast has also earned many accolades, including the following personal awards and decorations: the Defense Superior Service Medal, three Legion of Merit medals, the Bronze Star medal, four Meritorious Service medals, six Army Commendation medals, and two Army Achievement medals. He is also a 2009 inductee into the Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame at Fort Benning, Georgia, and is a recipient of the Military Police Corps' Order of the Marechaussee award in Silver for having had a significant impact on the Army's Military Police Corps.
In March 2018, Gov. Rick Scott appointed Sheriff Prendergast to the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Information Systems Council.
Sheriff Prendergast and his wife, Naomi, have two grown children and five grandchildren. The military is also a common thread in his family, with both his son and son-in-law being Operation Enduring Freedom combat veterans.
We are excited for Sheriff Prendergast to bring all his knowledge and experience to the Florida Deputy Sheriff’s Association Board.
“The FDSA is honored that Sheriff Prendergast is taking time out of his busy schedule to serve our association,” said Keith Dean, FDSA executive director. “We look forward to learning from the years of experience he has in law enforcement and beyond. He is a great addition to our team of dedicated professionals.”
