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Volusia sheriff who hired first Black and woman deputies honored
James Tucker served one term and was only 28 years old when he was elected sheriff of Volusia County in 1952, but he left a legacy that is still felt today, officials said.
Family and county officials spoke about Tucker on Tuesday during the unveiling of a marker in his honor on one side of Tomoka Farms Road at Shunz Road.
The marker is a few miles south of International Speedway Boulevard in Daytona Beach. The Sheriff James Tucker Memorial Road is the section of Tomoka Farms Road from West International Speedway Boulevard to State Road 44.
"My dad definitely needed that honor," said John Powell Tucker III, one of Tucker's sons. "It just blows my mind. My heart is full."
The former sheriff was only48 when he died.
Tucker opened doors 'for people to charge through' during his term as Volusia County sheriff
Tucker was the youngest sheriff ever elected in Volusia County when he took office. He hired the first African American deputy, Carl Brinkley, and the first woman deputy on the force, according to the county.
Brinkley died at 90 in 2016. During his time at the Volusia Sheriff's Office, he became the first Black officer to reach the rank of sergeant in any sheriff's department in Florida. Brinkley, who was a minister and civil rights advocate, also co-founded the Florida Association of Negro Deputy Sheriffs during his time at the sheriff's office.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood, who spoke at Tuesday's event, said that Tucker hired the first woman on the force to help with juvenile crime. Tucker also recognized that African Americans in Volusia County weren't being served well, Chitwood said.
"So what does he (Tucker) do?" Chitwood said. "He doesn't give a handout. He gives a hand up. He opens the door for people to charge through that door."
In his short time in office, Tucker put programs in place that continue today, such as the Junior Deputy Sheriff's League and the Marine Search and Rescue Group, according to the county.
Tucker's commitment to service was evident before his time as sheriff and afterward, officials said.
Tucker was a World War II Navy veteran. After his time as sheriff, he became a "prosecutor, judge, educator, and city attorney," according to the county.
"Few individuals in our county's history have contributed so broadly in public life," District 2 Volusia County Councilman and Vice Chair Matt Reinhart said.
His principles were also reflected in his death, which came after rescuing a girl from the St. Johns River, Chitwood said.
"His death basically sums up how his whole life was. It was about serving and protecting," Chitwood said.
Tary Lynn Tucker, Tucker's daughter-in-law, said she wants Tucker's life to inspire future generations.
"And to give all the glory to God, as I know he would want that to be," she said.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia sheriff honored with renamed piece of Tomoka Farms Road
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