Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Master Deputy Laura Jenkins won the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police Leadership in Looking Beyond the License Plate Award for her part in rescuing a kidnapped child during a traffic stop, the Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday.
Jenkins accepted the award Tuesday, October 27, at the IACP awards banquet. The banquet closed the 2026 IACP Annual Conference and Exposition in Orlando.
The December 31 traffic stop
The award recognizes Jenkins’ role in the rescue of a missing child during a traffic stop on December 31, 2025. She separated the child from the driver, a registered sex offender.
The child then told her he had been kidnapped. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the child believed he was going to die if deputies had not rescued him.
Deputies arrested the kidnapper, Darnell Hairston. He has since been convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
A second suspect, a 16-year-old accused of conspiring with Hairston in the kidnapping, is still awaiting trial. The Sheriff’s Office did not release that suspect’s name in its announcement, and this story does not name him because he is a juvenile.
Officials react
Sheriff Rick Staly praised Jenkins in the Sheriff’s Office statement.
“Master Deputy Jenkins’ dedication, professionalism, and commitment to serving our community and fellow law enforcement professionals have made a lasting impact on Flagler County,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “She exemplifies the highest of law enforcement standards, and I am proud to see her receive this well-deserved recognition.”
Jenkins credited the people around her.
“I am honored and humbled to receive this award and to be recognized alongside so many outstanding law enforcement professionals,” said Master Deputy Laura Jenkins. “Everything I have accomplished throughout my career has been made possible by the support of my fellow deputies, supervisors, family and the community we serve. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving and making a difference.”
Jenkins’ record since 2018
Jenkins joined the Sheriff’s Office in 2018. Her recognitions since then include:
- Four Unit Citations
- Seven Life Saving awards
- Nine Commendation letters
- Employee of the Month
- A Certificate of Commendation and a Certificate of Appreciation
- The Palm Coast Observer’s Standing O Award, presented in January 2024
- A Fox 35 Care Force Award in May 2025
Staly also nominated Jenkins for the Florida Sheriffs Association Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award in 2026.
Off duty, Jenkins serves on the Shop with a Cop Committee and the Law Enforcement Mental Wellness Committee. She holds certifications in Critical Incident Stress Management and Crisis Negotiation.
The Sheriff’s Office promoted Jenkins to Deputy First Class in April 2023 and to Master Deputy in May 2026.