Chief Rick Francis began his career in the United States Navy, serving as an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician and combat medic before continuing his service in the Army Reserves as a flight medic. Following his military service, he spent several years in corporate leadership, most recently as Vice President of Operations for a Fortune 100 financial services company. Despite his corporate success, Chief Francis felt called to return to public service. He joined the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office in November 2007. Today, Chief Francis leads the Department of School Safety and Security, overseeing the safety and protection of 70 public and charter schools serving approximately 65,000 students and 10,000 staff members. He directs nearly 300 dedicated professionals who support school safety efforts throughout Seminole County. Recognized as a national leader in school safety and security, Chief Francis developed Seminole County’s comprehensive school safety model, which has become a framework for districts across the state and nation. He has extensively studied prior school shooting incidents, helped avert potential threats, and applied critical lessons learned to strengthen prevention, preparedness, and response strategies. Drawing on his diverse background — military medicine, executive management, tactical operations, law enforcement, emergency management, education, and K–12 administration — he approaches school safety through a multi-disciplinary lens. He is deeply committed to protecting the community’s most vulnerable. Throughout his tenure with the Sheriff’s Office, Chief Francis served in patrol and major crimes investigations before being promoted to Patrol Sergeant and later assigned to the Domestic Security Unit. In April 2014, he was promoted to Lieutenant, serving as Watch Commander and later in Specialized Services. In July 2016, he was promoted to Captain of the School Safety Division, where he spearheaded the creation of the agency’s current school safety model. From February 2021 through August 2023, he led the Professional Development Division, overseeing Training and Career Development. He has also served as a SWAT team member and team leader, as well as a High-Risk Incident Commander. In addition to his operational leadership, Chief Francis serves as an adjunct professor of Criminal Justice at Seminole State College and teaches school safety and security nationwide for the National Tactical Officers Association. He is a trusted advisor to policymakers and public safety leaders, having served as a subject-matter expert to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the Florida School Safety Specialist Program. He has presented before legislative bodies in Florida, Texas, and California, as well as state Boards of Education. Chief Francis is a graduate of the FBI National Academy (Class 284) and has completed numerous executive leadership programs, including West Point’s Authentic & Deliberate Leadership Program, the Law Enforcement Executive Development Association Command Leadership Institute, the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute Chief Executive Seminar, the Police Executive Research Forum Senior Management Institute for Police, the Southern Police Institute Command Officer Development Course, and Leadership Seminole. He currently serves as Co-Chair of the National Sheriffs’ Association School Safety Committee, an Executive Board Member of NAMI Florida and the Coalition of School Safety Directors, and a member of the National Council of School Safety Directors. He has also served on numerous boards and task forces focused on school health, youth development, opioid prevention, domestic security, and statewide school safety initiatives. Chief Francis holds a Master of Science in Criminal Justice with honors, a Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice Administration from the University of Virginia, and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Administration with honors. He is a member of the Delta Epsilon Tau Honor Society.

Kelly Martin began her law enforcement career with the Seminole County Sheriff's Office in 2007. She began as a patrol deputy, later transferring to investigations. In 2013, she was promoted to the rank of Sergeant serving in the Court Services Division and later the Domestic Security Division's Offender Management Unit, including an assignment with the US Marshal's Counter Gang Task Force. In 2016, she was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in the newly created School Safety Division. In this role, she manages the agency's school resource program, develops/updates policies and procedures, oversees a multi-million dollar school hardening and operations budget, and is responsible for school-related critical incident management and stabilization. Thanks to the agency's unique collaboration with the district, Lieutenant Martin and her team have re-engineered school safety, creating a plan and structure that other districts have since modeled. Lieutenant Martin holds a B.S. in Biology from Florida State University. In addition to her work, she also sits on the DOE Reunification Policy Committee, Domestic Security Task Force, and Youth Commission. While holding several specialized law enforcement training and leadership certifications, her career exemplifies dedicated service to the community, especially in school safety.