ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office deputies and corporals voted against unionizing and entering collective bargaining Friday. The vote ended a two-day voting period that began Thursday. 

A majority of the officers voted “no” to the proposal to join the Florida Fraternal Order of Police.

In a statement to First Coast News, Sheriff Rob Hardwick said: “These results are a reflection of my commitment to provide the best pay, benefits, and equipment for the men and women of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. I’m proud of the work they do on a daily basis, and I am honored to be their Sheriff. I will continue to be relentless in my efforts to provide a phenomenal quality of life for our personnel and their families as we serve the citizens of St. Johns County.”

The Florida FOP represents nearly 25,000 members in more than 100 agencies across the state.

Last week, the FOP sent out a press release expressing concerns, based on an email that Hardwick had sent to employees Jan. 7, directing deputies to attend a mandatory meeting with him and the sheriff’s general counsel ahead of the vote.

The FOP raised concerns about these meetings, saying in the release: “While we do not know the meeting’s purpose, it appears to be timed just before the vote. We hope these gatherings are purely information and not intended to pressure employees regarding their choice in the upcoming election.”

The union wrote in the release that they had previously attempted to meet with Hardwick to discuss bridging the “communication gap” between management and sworn personnel, but he declined.