July 2022 | Issue 19

A MESSAGE FROM

SHERIFF PRENDERGAST

Back to School Safety

Citrus County is one of the most beautiful areas in the country and has become a destination spot for half a million visitors throughout the year. As the summer begins to fade, we look forward to preparing for the upcoming school year and keeping our students safe.

That said, we need motorists to be mindful of students in their travels—especially during morning and afternoon hours. As students head back to school on August 10th, be aware that our roads will be more congested. We recommend you leave your home earlier to alleviate any aggravation. Please watch for students walking to school, waiting at bus stops and those not paying attention to traffic. Parents and guardians, encourage your students to stand at least a manatee's distance from the road. If they still let you choose their clothes, select bright colors.

One of the biggest concerns I hear this time of year, next to drivers passing stopped school busses, is the vast number of children standing in the street, waiting on the bus, in dark clothing. Mentioning passing stopped busses--don't. If the school bus has its stop arm extended, it is illegal to pass, and you will get a citation.

Also, if you are traveling on a non-divided roadway with a school bus flashing red lights and a stop arm extended, you must stop--regardless of which direction you are traveling. Many school zones have signage and lights indicating that motorists must slow down when traveling in those areas. Pay attention, as those lights have been deactivated for the summer and may surprise you.

Remember, it's up to all of us to keep our kids safe this school year.

Citrus County Sheriff's Office School Resource Deputies

A School Resource Deputy (SRD) is a law enforcement officer assigned to an elementary, middle, or high school. The main goal of the SRD is to prevent juvenile delinquency by promoting positive relationships between youth and law enforcement. On top of maintaining a safe environment in our schools, SRDs also educate students and serve as role models.

There are several programs that the CCSO SRDs oversee to keep our children safe. In Elementary school, the Child Lures Program is taught to 3rd graders and reinforces the importance of treating one another with kindness and respect, the foundation of all healthy relationships. Students are taught that crimes like bullying, harassment, and sexual abuse are against the law and must be reported to a trusted adult.

The Filtering Out Crime United with Students (FOCUS) program is taught to 5th graders. This program is continually updated to keep up with current trends as it focuses on issues such as illegal drug use, peer pressure, and social media dangers.

Junior FOCUS was developed and implemented for first graders. Junior FOCUS is designed to teach our youngest students decision-making skills. For example, what to do if they find something that may be unsafe, how to stay safe around people they don't know, and other age-appropriate topics.

For Middle School students, SRDs present our Know The Law program. Know The Law is designed to help middle school students understand the law and comprehend what constitutes a crime. The subjects discussed include alcohol, tobacco, drug offenses, weapons, firearms, and more.

High school students in Citrus County are offered the Choices program. Discussion topics include many relevant issues such as internet safety, alcohol, tobacco, drug abuse, and teen dating/gang violence. They are designed to teach high school students that any decisions they make today could affect the rest of their lives.

The Citrus County Sheriff's Office is committed to not only the safety of our youth, but their overall development.

#REPORTANIMALABUSE

Our vision of Citrus County being the safest community in Florida does not just apply to people. ANIMAL ABUSER Robert Schweickert Jr. was sentenced to four years for Aggravated Animal Cruelty and Cruelty to Animals. “Under the guise of a rescue, these precious animals suffered in deplorable conditions because of one man’s refusal to provide the basic, minimum requirements of care,” said Sheriff Mike Prendergast.

Thank you to our Animal Control Team, and our partners at Citrus County Animal Services for justice served on behalf of the innocent animals in our community.

If you suspect animal cruelty, don’t hesitate to call CCSO’s non-emergency line at

352-249-2790. Animals can’t speak for themselves—their lives may depend on you.

#SecureItCitrus

Our Intelligence Analysts created this infographic to remind our community to lock vehicles each and every time to prevent burglaries. Thieves look for opportunities to steal...leaving vehicles unlocked just makes it easy for them.

Citrus, remember to Lock It or be prepared to Lose It.

#SecureItCitrus

OPERATION SOUTHERN SLOW DOWN

OPERATION SOUTHERN SLOW DOWN. The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office participated in Operation Southern Slow Down. Operation Southern Slow Down was a collaborative effort by law enforcement agencies to detect and cite drivers for exceeding the posted speed. From July 18-23, state and local law enforcement agencies in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Florida conducted a week-long speed enforcement campaign.

According to NHTSA, in 2019, there were 9,478 fatal crashes with at least one driver speeding, contributing to 26% of the total traffic fatalities. In addition, 12% of injury crashes and 9% of property-damage-only crashes in 2019 were also speeding-related. Thirty-three percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes in 2019 were speeding, more than drivers of any other vehicle type.

Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast said, “We strive for Excellence in Public Safety every day. The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office is proud to join Operation Southern Slow Down to prevent crashes and fatalities caused by speeding. Slow down, Citrus, and help us save lives.”

Operation Southern Slow Down is a collaborative effort among the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), and its division of the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and local law enforcement agencies.

#CCSOProtecting

The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office takes protecting our community seriously--especially protecting the children in our community.

In July, the CCSO announced its membership renewal in the Missing Kids Readiness Program. This program was developed by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and promotes best practices for responding to calls of missing, abducted, and sexually exploited children. Emergency call centers and law enforcement agencies are recognized for meeting essential training and policy elements and demonstrating preparedness for responding to a missing child incident.

“From the moment the report of a missing child comes in, to the resolution of the case, every action taken has the potential to make the difference between a successful recovery or a tragic outcome,” said Sheriff Mike Prendergast. “This program ensures the CCSO team has the best training, knowledge, and resources when responding to a report of a missing or exploited child.”

To meet the program’s requirements, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office reviewed its missing child policy with NCMEC to ensure it met the critical elements of NCMEC’s model policy for call center agencies. Philip Tompkins, Communications Quality Assurance & Training Coordinator, completed comprehensive training for the program. In addition, all Communications Certified Training Officers, Communications Officers In Charge, Communications Supervisors, and Communication Officers completed the online training required for their membership.

A NCMEC spokesperson stated, “By demonstrating remarkable leadership, and making this commitment of training and preparedness, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office is communicating to its citizens and families that protecting the lives and safety of their children is a top priority. We at the National Center would like to express our sincere gratitude and congratulations to the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office for their diligence and commitment to children.”

Armed with the information, knowledge, and operational resources gained through meeting the program criteria, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office continues to be positioned to respond more quickly, comprehensively, and effectively when a child’s life may be at stake.

To learn more about NCMEC and the Missing Kids Readiness Program, go to:

https://www.missingkids.org/education/training/mkrp

For a complete listing of all MKRP recognized agencies, go to:

http://www.missingkids.org/supportus/pon

Online Safety

Watch the video below for some online safety tips from Sergeant Tiffany Barry of our Criminal Investigations Division.

JULY'S MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS

July 1 was the first day of Scallop Season. If you missed it, don't worry...the season goes through September 24th.

Be sure to watch our video for Scalloping Safety tips.

Be safe when enjoying our beautiful Citrus County waterways.

Watch the video here for a safe boating message from Sheriff Prendergast.

Integrity ● Service Above Self ● Loyalty Above All

JOIN OUR TEAM

Integrity. Service above self. Loyalty above all.

Those are the values shared by the team of individuals who make up the Citrus County Sheriff's Office. If you've considered a career in Law Enforcement--either as Deputy Sheriff, Communications Officer, or Support staff--CCSO may have a position for you!

For over 135 years, CCSO has been committed to protecting our community. We have a history of loyalty and dedication to public service. We are currently seeking individuals to join our team to continue achieving our vision that Citrus County is the safest community in Florida. Members of our team have a unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our residents and to engage in a rewarding career that demands hard work, integrity, high standards, and constant learning.

We are currently hiring for the following positions:

o DEPUTY SHERIFF – $19.05/HR

o COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER – $15.48/HR

o QUALITY ASSURANCE CLERK – $13.06/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

Visit www.sheriffcitrus.org, click here to “Join Our Team," or reach out to our HR Background Investigator, Chris Evan, at 352-341-7452.

Don't wait...Apply today and Join Our Team!

TEXT 988 is Now Active

AVAILABLE NOW, people can TEXT ‘988’ as well as dial ‘988’ to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors that are part of the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network. These trained counselors will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to lifesaving resources.

On average, there are 129 suicides every day and for every suicide, 25 more people attempt suicide. Among 15- to 24-year-olds, suicide is the second leading cause of death. If you or someone you know is in crisis, TEXT or DIAL 988.

CCSO Volunteers

The Citrus County Sheriff's Office boasts the most dedicated and valuable Volunteers anywhere. Last year, over 400 individuals gave their time, experience, and skills to make Citrus County the safe and desirable place we call home.

Last year, over 400 volunteers gave over 57,000 hours to work in 23 different areas of the CCSO. CCSO Volunteers can be found patrolling your neighborhood and checking on the homes of your neighbors who are away, providing fingerprinting services for those in need for employment, directing traffic at accident scenes to ensure that drivers can safely navigate around and get on their way, sewing on the patches and hemming the pants of the uniforms our deputies wear, operating HAM radio during an emergency when typical communications are hindered, assisting the bailiffs at court and many other areas.

To find out more or to apply to be a CCSO Volunteer, go to www.sheriffcitrus.org/volunteer-citrus-county-sheriff.php

We'd love to have you join our team.