BROOKSVILLE, Fla. -- Law enforcement has officially changed hands in Hernando County.
Friday was the first day the Hernando Sheriff's Office took over for the Brooksville Police Department.
- Brooksville voted to disband police department in April
- Former Brooksville police officers are now deputies
- Old department will now be Sheriff's Office District 1 location
The city council voted to disband the department in April. But many of the officers from the old department are still staying in law enforcement in the county -- now as deputies with the Sheriff's Office.
Surrounded by friends and family, nine former Brooksville Police officers were sworn in Friday as Hernando County deputies.
Scott Fredricksen had been with the police department for 10 years.
"It's a small community, and people know me as Scott. A lot of the kids know me as 'Officer Scott,'" Fredricksen said.
"I'm happy to be here, but at the same time I'm sad I'm no longer wearing blue for the city of Brooksville," he added.
The city's agreement with the Sheriff's Office requires two deputies to be within the Brooksville city limits at all times. The old Brooksville Police Department office will be the Sheriff's Office's District 1 location.
Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis said he knows how stressful this has been for the officers. He says he is doing everything he can to make the transition as smooth as possible for both the officers and the public.
"It is a little bittersweet, but I also think when the dust settles, people are going to accept that and it will be a good thing," Nienhuis said. "My commitment to them is the service they're going to find overall is going to be as least as good."
Fredricksen is looking forward to all the opportunities ahead.
"I'm hoping that with a bigger agency, there will be more opportunities for advancement to extend my career in different directions," he said.
Nienhuis also said some of the new deputies could be part of the patrol in Brooksvillle if that's something they wish to do.
This new agreement is expected to save the city more than $1 million.