A Florida deputy who was celebrated as one of his agency’s best officers is now out of a job after an internal investigation uncovered a long list of alleged misconduct. Michael Fultz, who was named the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office 2025 Deputy of the Year, resigned as the department was preparing to terminate him, according to News 6. The investigation examined allegations ranging from the unauthorized use of flock cameras involving his former girlfriend to racial slurs, disturbing photographs, questionable conduct while in uniform, and several off-duty traffic stops.
Fultz’s former girlfriend contacted the sheriff’s office with allegations about his conduct in March 2026, on the same day the agency formally honored him as Deputy of the Year.
“My intention in providing this information is not to pursue personal retaliation but to ensure the agency is aware of conduct that, in my understanding, may conflict with departmental policies or professional standards,” she wrote.
The complaint led investigators to examine Fultz’s use of the agency’s Flock Safety system. According to the investigation, an audit showed Fultz searched his former girlfriend’s license plate before the beginning of his shift and classified the search as an investigation. Investigators said he could not provide a legitimate reason for accessing the information.
“Deputy Fultz denied checking her vehicle registration to spy on her or out of revenge but could not provide any reason as to why he queried her vehicle registration tag while off duty,” investigators wrote.
The Michael Fultz investigation arrives as Flock Safety faces wider questions about how law enforcement officers use its automated license plate reader network. Flock cameras can capture vehicle information that authorized users can search during investigations. In August, Flock Safety announced new safeguards that include required case codes for law enforcement searches, automatic reviews of unusual activity, proactive account lockouts, and a recommended seven-day default retention period.
The internal investigation extended far beyond the Flock search. According to 404 Media, which obtained the 43-page investigative report, officials reviewed photographs and electronic communications while examining allegations involving Fultz’s personal and professional conduct.
Investigators reviewed photographs allegedly showing Fultz placing a firearm in his former girlfriend’s mouth and pointing it toward the back of her head during sexual activity. The woman told investigators the sexual activity was “completely consensual,” while later raising concerns about the conduct. Fultz reportedly said the gun was personally owned, although investigators said it resembled the agency-issued handgun he received following an April 2025 shooting.
“Deputy Fultz admitted to ignoring all firearm safety training that he had received,” investigators wrote.
Investigators also examined screenshots from a FaceTime call in which Fultz appeared in uniform inside his patrol vehicle. His former girlfriend alleged he was performing a sexual act, while investigators said the images were not clear enough to establish exactly what was happening. Fultz denied masturbating while working and reportedly said he had only been pretending.
Another image examined during the investigation, reportedly dated to 2023, before Fultz joined the sheriff’s office. According to the investigative findings reported by PEOPLE and 404 Media, the photo showed him with a mustache styled to resemble Adolf Hitler while appearing to make a Nazi salute. Fultz reportedly acknowledged posing for the picture but denied being racist and described it as a joke. Investigators also reviewed text messages in which he allegedly repeatedly used the N-word. Fultz acknowledged that law enforcement officers should not use derogatory language regardless of intent, according to the report.
The investigation also scrutinized Fultz’s driving history. A Florida Highway Patrol trooper clocked him riding a motorcycle at 111 mph on U.S. 192 near Melbourne in February. Instead of being arrested, Fultz received a civil citation listing his speed as 74 mph in a 65 mph zone. Sheriff’s investigators also found that he had been stopped by law enforcement agencies at least four times within two months and failed to report those encounters to supervisors as required by agency policy.
The downfall came only months after the sheriff’s office publicly praised Michael Fultz for his performance during a deadly April 30, 2025 encounter. According to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, Fultz responded to a home where a mother had barricaded herself inside a bathroom while her suicidal son was destroying the residence. The agency said the man charged at Fultz with a knife after the deputy entered the home. Fultz fired his weapon and then provided medical treatment. The department later selected him as its 2025 Deputy of the Year.
“Deputy Fultz’s decisive actions and extraordinary restraint under extreme pressure undoubtedly saved the life of a frightened mother while also protecting himself from grave harm,” the sheriff’s office said when announcing the award.
After the misconduct investigation was completed, Sheriff Wayne Ivey determined Fultz should be terminated. According to PEOPLE, Ivey wrote that Fultz’s conduct had destroyed the level of trust necessary to continue serving as a deputy. Fultz resigned before the firing process was completed.
Fultz later apologized for the “embarrassment and negative attention” surrounding his actions but maintained that he disagreed with portions of the investigation.
“At the same time, I do not agree with every allegation or conclusion contained in the administrative investigation,” Fultz said. “Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the original complaint, I was responsible for my own decisions. The investigation reached its conclusions, my career with BCSO ended, and I accept that outcome.”
