HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Hillsborough County's top law enforcement officer could soon get a new title.
President-elect Donald Trump tapped Sheriff Chad Chronister as his pick to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration.
"It is the honor of a lifetime to be nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and I am deeply humbled by this opportunity to serve our nation,” Sheriff Chronister said in a statement.
Local leaders, from Tampa Mayor Jane Castor to former Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, showed their support on social media.
Congratulations, @ChadChronister! Much deserved. An excellent choice by President-Elect Trump. https://t.co/gFwucvb7DK
— Jane Castor (@JaneCastor) December 1, 2024
Hate to lose a great Sheriff and a good friend but I know he will do a great job. @ChadChronister Trump selects Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister as DEA Administrator https://t.co/6apX18c1sy
— Bob Buckhorn (@BobBuckhorn) December 1, 2024
"At the time I was the interim chief, he was the interim sheriff,” said Brian Dugan, former Chief of Police for the Tampa Police Department.
Dugan has known Chronister for years and thinks he's well-qualified.
"Traditionally, they've always had some type of Washington bureaucrat, so to speak, take over these federal agencies, but what I think a lot of people don't realize is that these federal agencies rely on local partnerships to provide intel, to provide people, and I think he's going to understand that, and he's going to bring a unique perspective to the DEA,” said Dugan.
Chronister has served with HCSO for more than 30 years.
In 2017, then-Governor Rick Scott appointed Chronister to lead the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, and he has been re-elected three times.
“I think he's a great pick,” said Brian Boyd.
ABC Action News also spoke to Boyd, a former DEA intelligence analyst.
"The administrator is going to have a very large agency,” said Boyd. “The only area that he's going to have to gain some expertise is on the international level because that's where most of the work is working with foreign governments to get their cooperation and to watch out for corruption in foreign governments and foreign police agencies."
HCSO said as the Sheriff's nomination process for DEA Administrator continues and upon Senate confirmation, they'll provide details on a transition plan.
"That will become appointed by the Governor. That will be the process,” said Dugan. “The Governor will make that selection, and eventually, there will be an election."
This week, an unlikely partnership between a sixth-grade student and a barbecue restaurant brought Thanksgiving dinner to hundreds of hurricane victims across Pasco County.
