Two teams from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office SWAT sniper unit competed in the annual Snipercraft Challenge and posted the agency’s best-ever finish at the national competition, placing second and eighth out of 40 teams representing local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies from across the country.
Commander Brian Finn and Deputy Chandler Anderson earned second place — the highest finish in FCSO’s history at the event. The agency has placed in the top 10 every year for the past five consecutive years. In a separate pairing, Sergeant Frank Gamarra teamed up with a sniper from the Palm Bay Police Department after his regular partner was unable to attend. Despite the two having never met or trained together before the competition, they finished eighth.
Sheriff Rick Staly praised the team’s performance. “Our SWAT sniper team consistently excels at this event, proving once again they are the best-of-the-best,” Staly said. “The community can rest easy knowing they are some of the most skillful and well-trained law enforcement snipers in the country and show they are fully prepared to protect our community should a critical event occur. I’m proud of them and congratulate all involved.”
Alongside the main competition, Sergeant Gamarra won a charity side-shoot event, with proceeds benefiting Smile Train, a nonprofit organization that funds corrective surgeries for children born with cleft palates.
In addition to competing, the FCSO snipers attended a two-day educational seminar hosted by Snipercraft that included instruction on tactics, operational debriefs, and emerging law enforcement technologies.
Commander Finn, who leads the sniper team, reflected on what the competition means for the agency and the community it serves. “We’re thankful for the chance to train and measure ourselves against teams from all across the country and to continue to put Flagler County on the map in the police sniper community,” Finn said. “We pray we never have to use these skills, but this event provides an opportunity to learn, refine, and test our skills and bring that training back to serve our community.”
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