Martin Co.'s next sheriff will focus on fighting these crimes

MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — The Martin County Sheriff's Office announced Friday who will become the agency's next chief.

Chief Deputy John Budensiek is now sheriff-elect, the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post. He will officially become Martin County's next sheriff early next year.

In March, Martin County Sheriff William Snyder announced that he would not run for a fourth term and on the same day Budensiek announced his candidacy for the open seat.

Friday was the last day for others to enter the race and is the first time in Martin County history that a vacant sheriff's seat has gone uncontested, the agency said.

The agency said Budensiek's name will not appear on the 2024 ballot because he is the only candidate.

“[I’m] I'm starting to feel that pressure that a sheriff feels,” Budensiek said. “I have to take care of 160,000 to 170,000 people. I must keep my promises.”

Budensiek, a lifelong Hobe Sound resident, has more than 27 years of law enforcement experience with the Martin County Sheriff's Office and was endorsed by Snyder.

According to the agency, Budensiek has served alongside the sheriff for the past decade, making command-level decisions related to public safety and the organization's overall operations.

“I started at the Martin County Sheriff’s Office when I was 19,” Budensiek said. “I spent a lot of my career – 16 years of my career – doing narcotics work coupled with tactical work.”

He hopes to continue much of the work Snyder has already started.

“Drug addiction is a huge thing for us. We want to help those who are addicted, but we also want to put drug dealers in their place, which is in prison,” Budensiek said. “Young people are dying at a high rate and we’ve seen it here, so we’re going to continue to emphasize that.”

He also cited issues such as roaming crime and immigration as areas of focus. He also emphasized the role the sheriff's office will play in fighting crime as the area continues to grow.

“We know the projects that are coming to fruition,” Budensiek said. “It doesn't happen overnight, so it's our job to look to the future and see what lies ahead. We know that Palm City is going to grow by about 4,500 homes and Indiantown is going to grow. -be tripled in size.”

He will be sworn in as Martin County's ninth sheriff in a public ceremony in January.