W.A. Brown was the first sheriff of Bay County followed by Charley E. Scott. The longest serving sheriff was M. J. "Doc" Daffin who held office from 1952 - 1971 dying of a stroke while sheriff. Our 1996 sheriff, Guy Tunnell poses with his deputy, Ricky Plummer, in the same pose as the sheriff at left. The first county courthouse and jail was located on one of the piers at the foot of Harrison Avenue. The new courthouse was built in 1915 and is still in use today. Our courthouse is one of five original structures in Florida.