A MESSAGE FROM
SHERIFF PRENDERGAST
| | |
|
June 1st marks the start of Hurricane Season
Hurricane Season officially begins on June 1st. That doesn’t mean that hurricanes are imminent, but it does provide a reminder for Citrus County residents to be prepared for the all-too-familiar tropical storms and possibly subsequent hurricanes that we may experience.
In 2021, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) named twenty-one storms and seven hurricanes. The season ended having produced 21 named storms, including seven hurricanes, of which four were major hurricanes. One of which was Elsa, a tropical storm that eventually became an “85 mph hurricane at its peak” according to NBC 6 South Florida. For the 2022 hurricane season, NOAA is forecasting a likely range of 14 to 21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 6 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher). So we want to be sure our residents are as prepared as possible for anything Mother Nature may throw our way.
Planning ahead is incumbent upon all of us. While Citrus County has thus far been spared a direct hit from storms, residents can usually expect to experience power outages, downed trees, flooded roadways, and the many potential hazards that accompany all of those things.
| | | |
|
|
Don't wait, have your supplies ready and a plan in place this hurricane season.
NOAA recommends including the following suggestions in your hurricane preparedness plan—before there is a hurricane on your doorstep:
| | |
|
-
Supplies. Have enough non-perishable food, water and medicine to last each person in your family a minimum of 7 days (store a longer than 7-day supply of water, if possible). Electricity and water could be out for at least that long. You’ll need extra cash, a battery-powered radio and flashlights. You may need a portable crank or solar-powered USB charger for your cell phones.
-
Write down important information. Keep a hard-copy list of contacts (phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses) should you be caught without a working cellphone or if you lose cellphone service. Keep critical documents together and accessible should you need them.
-
Evacuation Plan. Follow evacuation orders. Have several alternative routes in mind if you must evacuate. Have a bag ready for the supplies you’ll need to take with you. Remember, shelters should be a last resort option - make planning a place to go part of your emergency evacuation plan.
-
Strengthen your home. Whether you evacuate or stay home during a strong storm, making sure your home can withstand strong winds and storm waters now will reduce hardship later.
-
Pets. If you have pets, be sure to include their needs in your plan. Have enough food, water, and medicine for at least 7 days, keeping in mind veterinarians in the area may not be available to dispense prescription medication. If you must evacuate, be sure to have appropriate carriers, leashes, crates, or secure vehicle barriers to ensure safe traveling for all.
We know that Citrus County is a community of caring people. Work with your neighbors to ensure they are prepared too as we enter the 2022 Hurricane Season. Together, we can keep Citrus County the safest community in Florida, in all seasons.
| | |
|
Hurricanes are categorized according to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, a 1 to 5 rating based on a hurricane’s maximum sustained wind speed.
The table below describes the different categories:
| |
| Category | Sustained Winds | | 1 | 74-95 mph | | 2 | 96-110 mph | | 3 | 111-129 mph | | 4 | 130-156 mph | | 5 | 157 mph or higher | | |
|
Also, be sure to download the Citrus County Sheriff's App on your phone. The CCSO App provides Emergency Notifications, News Releases, information for Students and Parents, Recent Arrests, and much more...right at your fingertips! Staying connected is easy.
Search 'Citrus County Sheriff's Office' in your phone's App store.
| |
|
One of the best ways to remain informed this hurricane season is by signing up for our AlertCitrus emergency alert system.
When getting ready for a storm or hurricane season – things can get pretty chaotic with different information coming from all directions.
Alert Citrus is a mass notification service to help keep you up-to-date when preparing for a severe weather situation by communicating critical, reliable information that you need to know in the time of an emergency.
You can choose to receive notifications about events that may affect your home, workplace, family's schools and more. This system will be used to notify you about imminent threats to health and safety as well as notifications on severe weather, evacuations, flooding, missing persons, gas leaks, law enforcement activity, etc.
To sign up, visit the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office website at www.sheriffcitrus.org and click on the Alert Citrus logo. For questions or more information, please contact us at 352-249-2753.
| | |
|
On May 21, we hosted our annual All-Hazards Expo. On hand were experts in Emergency Management, members of our Citizens Emergency Response Team (CERT), First Responders, and many others providing information on how to keep Citrus County safe during any type of hazard.
If you missed the Expo, be sure to check out CCSO's Emergency Management site to learn about Prevention, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery.
| | |
Celebrating 135 years of serving Citrus County! | | |
|
We are proud to say tomorrow, June 2nd, 2022, marks 135 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑒 to this beautiful county we call home. The first day of our Sheriff's Office operations began on June 2nd, in 1887. Although many things have changed over the years, there is one thing that will always remain true: our vision to make Citrus County the safest community in Florida. | | |
|
This vision would not be possible without the incredibly loyal CCSO family we have. All of our employees share the passion of "𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒕𝒚." This allows our Sheriff's Office to have the ability to always put the safety and well-being of Citrus County citizens first.
𝐼𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑏𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑦𝑎𝑙, 𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑒 𝑑𝑜. We are beyond excited for the future and can't wait to see what the years to come bring. So please join us in our celebration of protecting and serving you!
| | |
Remembering our Fallen Peace Officers | |
"Today is a day of hallowed memories. It’s a day of remembrance for the community, but also a day of remembrance for all of the uniform patches we see worn by our NARLEO members…for they have all lost comrades. Men and women who put on the cloth of their community and stepped forward and selflessly answered a call of duty to serve others and put their lives on the line.” ~ Sheriff Mike Prendergast | | |
|
May was Mental Health Awareness month. Each year, millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental health condition. Mental health affects all of us -- directly or indirectly. It’s important to put aside the stigmas and recognize that there are resources available in our community to address mental health.
| |
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues and would like help, reach out to our Behavioral Health Unit at (352)249-2790. | | |
Watch the video above for more pool safety tips and how you can avoid an emergency. | |
May was also National Water Safety Month. Whether in a swimming pool or at the beach, water provides cool family fun on those hot summer days. Stay safe by making sure you supervise children, install barriers to prevent undesired access to pools or hot tubs, and learn how to perform CPR. | | |
Start your career with us today! | | |
|
|
If you’re looking to help your community at a competitive pay rate and benefits that you just can’t pass up, look no further! We may have the perfect position for you!
We are looking for a few fantastic men and women to join our team, whether you’d rather save lives by being a Deputy Sheriff or Communication Officer, or take an invaluable administrative position - we have something for everybody!
| | |
|
Working with law enforcement is a very rewarding career, and we would love to have you join our team; it will change your life for the better.
We are currently hiring for the following positions:
o COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER – $15.48/HR
o QUALITY ASSURANCE CLERK – $13.06/HR
o DEPUTY SHERIFF – $19.05/HR
o ACCOUNTING ANALYST – $14.73/HR
o CRIME SCENE SPECIALIST – $16.65/HR
o COMMUNITY RELATIONS SPECIALIST - $20.06/HR
o PART-TIME PUBLIC SERVICE OFFICER – $12.30/HR
The benefits don’t stop there. In fact, they’ve just begun! All of the above positions are provided an outstanding benefits package that includes Florida Retirement, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Vacation/Sick Leave, 11 paid Holidays, and Employer Paid Medical.
If one of these positions sounds like your next career, then visit sheriffcitrus.org today and fill out an application! For any additional questions, feel free to reach out to our HR Background Investigator, Chris Evan, at 352-341-7452.
| | |
2022 LAW ENFORCEMENT TORCH RUN RECAP | |
Our CCSO team supported the Special Olympics in the annual Florida Law Enforcement Torch Run! The “Flame of Hope” was carried in an intrastate relay of simultaneous routes throughout Florida, covering hundreds of miles. Thank you to our friends at the Key Training Center, our first responder comrades at Citrus County Fire Rescue, the kind folks from CoreCivic and our community for making this year’s run a success! | | |
Detective Thomas Dowling of our Major Crimes Unit wants our readers to beware of these Top 9 Scams. | |
The Citrus County Sheriff's Office is grateful for a supportive community. We appreciate the schools, businesses, neighborhoods, church groups, and individuals that support our vision to make Citrus County the safest community in Florida. We sincerely thank you! | |
|
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
April 2022
| | |
|
EAST DISTRICT
DEPUTY TIMOTHY GARRISON
| |
|
WEST DISTRICT
DEPUTY JAMES DAVIS
| |
Deputy Timothy Garrison was nominated for his tremendous dedication, hard work and resourcefulness in the performance of his duties. Deputy Garrison takes pride in his position as a Deputy Sheriff, and given any opportunity to work a case from beginning to the end, he takes it. In one case, Deputy Garrison assisted an assault victim by getting her into contact with CASA and facilitating her to a safe location. The assailant was later located and charged accordingly. | |
Deputy Davis was nominated for his willingness to assist with zone coverage when requested and his work ethic while covering a zone on his scheduled day off. During one of those shifts, he became involved in an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon incident. Deputy Davis immediately recognized the threat, protected the victim from further harm, and took two subjects into custody prior to the arrival of other deputies. | |
A RIDDLE WITH CAPTAIN SPIDDLE
COMMANDER OF THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION
| | |
|
|
The work that I do comes with a price;
Not all of my subjects behave or are nice.
The risks that I take are sometimes exotic;
I use my skills and my training to know the zoonotic.
I arrive to collect those who snap at my snare,
But also the ones who acknowledge my care.
I care for the lost, the found, the unwanted.
By some of the facts, I'm continually haunted.
My work is complex--it takes passion and soul.
To make their lives better is always the goal.
| |
Answer to last month's riddle: Dispatcher | |
CITRUS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE www.SheriffCitrus.org
| |
| | | | |
