- Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson Jr. has officially been named chairman of the FirstNet Authority Board
- The veteran law enforcement leader will bring extensive experience from national and state sheriffs’ organizations
- FirstNet is continuing to grow its footprint to support first responders during disasters and large-scale emergencies
Walton County, Florida, Sheriff Michael Adkinson Jr. has been appointed chairman of the First Responder Network Authority Board by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced Thursday.
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Who Is Michael Adkinson?
Adkinson has served as sheriff of Walton County since 2009 and was reelected in 2024. He joined the FirstNet Authority Board in 2024 and has served as acting chairman since September 2025. He also serves on the board of directors for the National Sheriffs’ Association and previously served as president of the Florida Sheriffs’ Association and chief of police for the City of DeFuniak Springs.
What Is the FirstNet Authority?
The FirstNet Authority oversees the nationwide public safety broadband network developed in partnership with AT&T to support emergency response operations, disaster recovery and large-scale event security efforts. Representatives from government, industry and public safety organizations serve on the board and help guide the network’s deployment and operation.
Adkinson assumes the leadership role as FirstNet continues major network modernization efforts with AT&T, including a recently announced $2 billion agreement to accelerate dedicated 5G deployment, reduce operational costs and increase investments in public safety connectivity.
The network has also continued to expand coverage in rural and high-priority public safety areas. In 2025, AT&T and the FirstNet Authority launched 1,000 new cell sites across 46 states and Washington, D.C., many located near hospitals, fire stations, police departments and tribal communities to strengthen communications capabilities for first responders.
