J.M. "Buddy" Phillips

LIVE OAK, Fla. — Known as the “Sheriff of Florida” after his record-setting career in law enforcement, the late J.M. “Buddy” Phillips has now gained another title — Hall of Famer.

Phillips, who passed away in 2008, was one of the five individuals along with Richard M. Beary, William B. Berger, James T. Moore and Neil J. Perry, selected, and approved last week by the Florida Cabinet, for inclusion into the second induction class of the Florida Law Enforcement Officers’ Hall of Fame. The five inductees will formally join the Hall of Fame at a May 20 ceremony.

“We were quite surprised, we being the family, when we learned of it,” Mike Phillips said about his father’s selection for the Hall of Fame. “We were quite honored. It’s been about eight years since dad passed and we obviously still miss him every day, but it’s great to know that his contributions to law enforcement are still highly regarded.”

A Suwannee County native, Phillips began his 45-year service in law enforcement while still in high school, working part-time for the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office in 1956. He later became the Suwannee County Sheriff, elected at the age of 29, serving one term from 1969-73.

From there, he joined the Florida Department of Law Enforcement as a special agent/training specialist. He later became the inspector/director of mutual aid at the FDLE, where he worked with sheriffs and police chiefs to share resources and manpower across jurisdictions during riots, civil disturbances or emergencies.

“His whole life had been dedicated to law enforcement,” said his brother Joe Phillips, who still lives in Live Oak. “Everything that he’s done has been geared around law enforcement.

“He just strived. He just wanted to make a better place for the world to live.”

His devotion to law enforcement had an impact at home as well. Both Mike and his sister Cheri went into law enforcement, also working at the FDLE. Mike Phillips, who began his career at the Leon County Sheriffs Office, is now in his 20th year at the FDLE.

“His character and integrity and just his love for Florida and his contribution was always an example for my sister and I,” Mike Phillips said.

During his tenure at the FDLE, Phillips was appointed by two different governors to serve as an interim sheriff seven times, serving in Flagler, Glades, Columbia, Pasco, Charlotte (twice) and Lake counties in addition to his previous term in Suwannee, a record-setting number which gained him the title of “Sheriff of Florida.”

Volusia County Sheriff Ben F. Johnson, who nominated Phillips for the Hall of Fame, said it was Phillips’ reputation for bringing stability to an unstable situation that made him such a popular choice in those difficult positions.

“These situations required a person who was highly respected and reliable to assist in the recovery of the agencies,” Johnson wrote in his nomination. “He was truly THE Sheriff of the State of Florida.”

Phillips also was selected in 1988 as the Executive Director of the Florida Sheriffs Association, a post he held until his retirement in 2002.