Distracted Driving Awareness Month
by Laura L. Sullivan, Public Relations Specialist
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You wouldn’t drive with your eyes closed, would you?
When you type a text, or even read a text, you’re taking your eyes off the road for several seconds. It doesn’t feel like a long time, but you may be surprised to know that in just five seconds, a car driving at 55 mph can travel the length of an entire football field.
A lot can happen in the time it takes for you to write a text. A child can run into the road or the car in front of you might slam on their brakes. With your eyes on your phone you might swerve into the bike lane. Driving a car demands your full attention, and taking your eyes off the road can be fatal.
The Targeted Response Against Distracted Driving (TRADD) program, presented by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and sponsored by State Farm Insurance, is a way to educate young drivers. “The goal is to explain the dangers of distracted driving to students who are fairly new to driving,” said Corporal Steve Tellis of the Youth Services Unit. He teaches the class in high schools around the county that have a driver’s education program. It is important for the kids to build good habits when they’re just learning how to drive.
TRADD is a two-day program that has both an instructional and a practical application component. The first day is classroom instruction. Students get a slide show with a message from Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, a video, and some facts and statistics.
The statistics about distracted driving are alarming. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that 424,000 people were injured in 2019 in crashes involving a distracted driver. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,142 people died due to distracted driving in 2020. That’s almost nine people every day dying because someone had to check their phone, put on lipstick, or adjust their radio. Approximately one in five of those fatalities were pedestrians or people outside a vehicle – joggers, bike riders, or people pulled over to the side of the road.
TRADD hopes to reduce those numbers through education. On the second day of TRADD, students get to drive an all-terrain-vehicle around a track set up with cones. While they drive, students are given a phone. “The students are encouraged to text in this controlled environment so that they can experience the difficulties and danger that distracted driving presents,” Corporal Tellis said.
Students also learn to be a good passenger. Passengers can be the designated texter and navigator, leaving the driver free to focus on driving.
Teens can be pretty confident about their ability to multi-task. With so many attractions pulling them in different directions all the time, they may think that driving can just be added to the mix. Through TRADD, they learn that when you drive, that should be the ONLY thing you’re doing.
Drivers can be stopped and ticketed for texting while driving. Per Florida Statute 316.305, that includes typing, sending, or reading a message. You are allowed to text when parked, or when stopped at a red light. You can also use a phone in hands-free mode, for navigation, for receiving safety or traffic alerts, and some other exceptions. It’s still much safer to focus on driving than to look at your phone for any reason.
What about law enforcement officers, many people ask? They sometimes have to operate a motor vehicle while using their in-car laptop, cell phone, or radio. Law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical professionals are exempt and they also receive special training to drive in higher risk situations.
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Beyond “Stranger Danger”
by Laura L. Sullivan, Public Relations Specialist
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When we were kids our parents told us all the time, “Don’t talk to strangers!” Child abductions by strangers strike fear into the hearts of parents and caregivers. The idea of a child playing in the front yard only to be lured into a vehicle is a nightmare straight out of the news headlines. But most often it is not a stranger who harms a child – it is a trusted babysitter, a beloved coach, a parent’s paramour, or even the parent themselves.
“The concept of ‘grooming’ has become well-known in society and has illustrated the reality that perpetrators are not complete strangers, but those who have earned trust and built a relationship with the child victim’s family,” said Detective Jane Hanna.
At the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), the Crimes Against Children Unit (CAC) investigates allegations of abuse. According to Hanna, CAC investigates “sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect in which the victim is under eighteen years old, as well as missing children, and internet crimes involving child exploitation.” The PCSO also has the Child Protection Investigation Division (CPID) which investigates claims of abuse and determines whether a case needs to be referred for further action. CAC and CPID work together on most cases. “CAC is solely responsible for criminal investigations and presenting cases to the State Attorney's Office in order for prosecution to take place,” Detective Hanna says, “whereas CPID is solely responsible for child welfare intervention.”
Corporal Crystal Schofield of CAC says that the unit is available for callout 24/7. “We investigate all child deaths, child suicides, skull fractures, suspicious broken bones, severe burns, drownings and near-drownings, and sexual abuse, as well as cases involving people producing, distributing, or watching pornography involving children.” They frequently work with the Digital Forensics Unit, which specializes in retrieving evidence from cell phones and computers.
While kids still need to be wary of strangers, they also need to learn about boundaries. “Children need to be educated and informed of necessary boundaries and the difference between appropriate behaviors and inappropriate behaviors,” Detective Hanna says.
One of the most powerful weapons of an abuser is silence. They only get away with their crime if they convince their victim not to tell anyone. “Children also need to know that it is okay to not keep secrets for others,” Detective Hanna said. “Along with the information of unacceptable behavior, children need to be informed of who they can report the inappropriate behavior to, whether it’s a parent or guardian, or other adult in their life that can help, like a teacher.”
The internet brings a host of dangers. Kids may feel very close to the people they meet online. Anonymous people can easily go from being strangers to trusted friends in the child’s mind. “While they may believe they know who they’re talking to behind the screen, many perpetrators create personas that appeal to the child.” Online predators may try to arrange in-person meetings. Or they may coerce a child into sharing sexual images
In this issue of Inside the Star we have an interview with CPID Field Trainer Treasure Montana that covers some signs of abuse, along with tips for reporting suspected abuse. But Detective Hanna points out that, “signs of abuse can take many forms and are different for every child.” Knowing what is going on in the lives of the children around you is a good first step for spotting abuse. “By having a constant line of communication and support, signs may be more easily observable. When there is a dynamic change in a child, ask questions. When a child does not want to spend time with someone anymore, ask questions.”
There may still be “stranger danger” but in so many cases Detective Hanna has worked, she hears the phrases he’s such a good guy and I never saw this coming about the perpetrator. “In each of the cases, the perpetrator had access to the child victim and had built a relationship with either the victim or the victim’s family, earning their trust.”
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Reporting Child Abuse – National Child Abuse Prevention Month
by Laura L. Sullivan, Public Relations Specialist
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Kids get bruises and cuts. Kids can be emotional or act out. How do you distinguish between normal childhood injuries and behavior, and child abuse? Child Protection Investigator Treasure Montana of the PCSO Child Protection Investigation Division has some tips for what to look out for – and what to do if you suspect a child is being abused.
According to Montana you should look for “unexplained bruises specifically on the face, lips, mouth area, torso, back, buttocks, or thighs.” These aren’t places children are as likely to hurt themselves during playing. Also look for “injuries in various healing stages and marks with patterns that appear inflicted with shapes like belts, shoes, cords etc.”
Neglect is also a sign of abuse. “Be aware of children appearing to have consistent concerns of neglect, poor hygiene, inappropriate dress, or hunger,” Montana said. Also be alert for “children who are not properly supervised, or allowed to hang out in dangerous places at various hours of the night.”
Behavioral and emotional signs can also be indicators of abuse. “Be aware of specific behaviors that are not age appropriate, such as thumb sucking, biting nails, rocking, or antisocial or destructive personalities.” Many signs of abuse are subtle. Sexual abuse could manifest through withdrawn behavior, suicidal ideation, acting out sexually, or even delinquent activity.
What do you do if you suspect child abuse?
Every person in Florida is a mandatory reporter. Per Florida Statute 39.201, anyone who knows of or suspects child abuse, abandonment, neglect, or sexual abuse must report it to the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF). Failure to report child abuse is a third degree felony.
Who: The name of the child and their parent or caregiver, as well as the name of the alleged perpetrator and that person’s relationship to the child.
What: Type and frequency of alleged abuse/neglect, current or previous injuries to the child, and what caused you to become concerned.
When: When the alleged abuse/neglect occurred, and when you learned of it.
Where: Where the incident occurred, where the child is now, and whether the alleged perpetrator has access to the child.
How: How urgent is the need for intervention, and is there a likelihood of imminent danger for the child?
When in doubt, report the situation and let the experts make a determination. As long as you’re not reporting out of malice, you won’t be in trouble for being mistaken – and if you’re right about the abuse you may well save a child’s life.
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Job Feature: Case Assignment Tech
Be a part of the bigger picture that helps children and families as a case assignment tech in the Child Protection Investigation Division! Case Assignment Techs prepare case files for investigators by researching and completing a background investigation as well as assigning investigators to cases based on a number of factors.
Qualifications include:
- A high school diploma.
- 2 years of clerical experience.
- A minimum typing speed of 25 words per minute.
For more information including a full list of qualifications, click here.
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