Displaying items by tag: Sheriff

We recently unveiled a new and innovative Facial Recognition Partnership with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The partnership is the first of its kind in the state and in the nation.

Keeping deputies on the road, in-service, and available to respond to citizens calls has always been a primary concern of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. To that end, in 2008 our office established a Prisoner Transport Unit (P.T.U.), in the sheriff’s office jurisdiction, with the goal of servicing our own deputies. The idea proved so efficient, that today the service is provided to all but four municipalities in the entire county.

The idea is a simple one. The Transport Unit is summoned to the scene where an arrest has been made, custody of the prisoner is transferred from the arresting deputy to the prisoner transport deputy, who subsequently transports the suspect to the Pinellas County Jail. At the very moment that the transfer is made, the arresting deputy is free once again and available to respond to the next call for service.

Summer is upon us, temperatures are soaring and what better way to keep children entertained and cool than an afternoon by the swimming pool. A dark side of a summer in the sun is that a sparkling swimming pool can also be a serious summer hazard. Unfortunately, when the temperature goes up, so does the number of accidental drownings involving children. The backyard pool is a magnet for children of all ages.

I am often approached by citizens wishing to contribute their time and energy to the community. Allow me to suggest the Sheriff’s Citizens Patrol Volunteer Program as a wonderful way to help out.

As a member of the Citizens Patrol, you will have an opportunity to serve side by side with our deputy sheriffs and perform a variety of valuable services for our citizens and visitors to Pinellas County. Some of the responsibilities include seizing and recovering found property, assisting with disabled motor vehicles, directing traffic at crash scenes, issuing parking tickets, participating in community events, child fingerprinting and vacation house checks,to name a few.

Next month the Sheriff’s Office will begin enforcing a new County Alarm Ordinance. The ordinance, which will become effective on July 1, 2009, will require home and business owners to register their alarm systems with our office, or face the possibility of being fined for any false alarms which may occur at the home or business.