April 2021 | Issue 4
Drug Dwelling Demolished
We teamed up once again with our amazing partners at the Citrus County Code Compliance office to get rid of this nuisance property located at 6321 W Orange Ave in Crystal River.

If this address sounds familiar, it should.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Join CCSO as we unveil the memorial built to commemorate the three Citrus County law enforcement officer who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
Every year on Peace Officer Memorial Day the National Association of Retired Law Enforcement Officers hosts a ceremony in honor of the men and women who have lost their lives protecting communities across the county.

We welcome everyone to join us at this event on Saturday, May 15th, to pay respect to those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to make our safety.
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
March 2021
EAST PATROL
Lt. Ray Fischer
COMMUNICATIONS
Manuela Ariza Alarcon
WEST PATROL
John Boudreau & Ezra Ramjit
April Traffic Initiative
In the United States, 80% of drivers admit to driving aggressively. These aggressive behaviors include:
·        Excessive speeding
·        Tailgating
·        Brake checking
·        And running red lights

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that two-thirds of fatal traffic accidents involve some form of aggressive driving.

Road Rage is never worth it. Remember to calm down and JUST DRIVE CITRUS.
Community Outreach
The Citrus County Sheriff's Office had the opportunity to participate in the YMCA's Healthy Kids Day earlier this month.

Deputies came out to teach kids about biking and boating safety, fit them with helmets, and teach them about our F.O.C.U.S. Program. The acronym, F.O.C.U.S., stands for "Filtering Out Crime United with Students". F.O.C.U.S. is taught to 5th graders by their School Resource Deputy.

Our good friend K9 Calum even had the chance to take center stage during a K9 demonstration.

We hope all attendees had a great experience and learned a little more about staying safe while staying healthy!
ARTICLE OF THE MONTH: Volunteer Appreciation
Over the past two months, I have had the good fortune to ride along with our volunteer Crime Watch patrols. As I joined them on their patrols, I was encouraged to note how many citizens waved, stopped to say hello, or took the time to personally thank our volunteers for what they do.

Volunteers are often the ones who perform the thankless tasks and yet, those tasks are crucial to making our community safe.

Over the past year, volunteer members of the Citrus County Sheriff's Office Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) helped direct traffic for COVID-19 vaccination sites. Members of our Crime Watch units watched school zones, ensuring that people remember to slow down for our youngest citizens, and kept a watchful eye on their neighbors’ homes and property. Volunteers working in our Cold Case and Investigations units worked alongside agency personnel to solve cases. Sewing Unit members used their talents to alter uniforms and sew on patches for sworn personnel.  

Have you ever needed to be fingerprinted for a concealed weapons permit or employment opportunity? Volunteer members of the Fingerprinting Unit provide this important service for members of our community. After being forced to close for more than a year due to COVID, our Seniors vs. Crime unit has been instrumental in helping those in our community who have been scammed or taken advantage of by unscrupulous individuals. Animal Control volunteers assist with lost animals and loose livestock. Public Service Officers respond to calls for service that don’t require a sworn deputy. And, if you’ve ever had to call one of our agency offices, you were likely assisted by a volunteer receptionist.

Without volunteers, none of these tasks could be accomplished.

The Citrus County Sheriff's Office also has volunteers who work in Finance, Aviation, Volunteer Administration, and Victim Advocacy. Volunteers work with children in Child ID, patrolling bike trails with Rails to Trails Patrol, and even on horseback with the Sheriff’s Mounted Posse. If you can think of a task or an area that operates within the framework of the Sheriff’s Office, there’s a good chance a volunteer is working there.

America has a strong tradition of volunteerism, dating back to our country’s inception. The idea and the act of volunteering are so ingrained in our society that we take volunteers for granted. After all, we are accustomed to seeing them in action, lending a hand where it’s needed. Too often, we forget that these folks are donating their skills, their sweat, and their time to serving a higher purpose.  

Even during the last year, when so much of our world felt as if it had gone topsy-turvy, CCSO volunteers continued to work, giving more than 50,000 hours. While no volunteer’s work can be measured in sheer numbers, these hours represent the equivalent of a $1.4 million donation to the agency.

April 18-24 was Volunteer Appreciation Week, making this the perfect time to thank all of the outstanding women and men who give so unselfishly of themselves in the pursuit of making Citrus County the safest county in Florida. Without our amazing volunteers, we couldn’t do what we do. Without them, Citrus County would not be the place we all love to call home.

There’s no question that the world has changed. But one thing has remained: Volunteers are still willing to work hard and give back to the communities that they love.  

Amy Douglas, Senior Services Coordinator
A RIDDLE WITH CAPTAIN SPIDDLE
COMMANDER OF THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION



I pollute the community,
taking advantage of the vulnerable with every opportunity.

My own addiction I will never rise above,
so I sell my poison to those you love.

My product is deadly,
so in secret I peddle my medley.

One purchase could have you hooked
but if CCSO catches me, I'm sure to be booked.
Answer to last month's riddle: A Vehicle Burglar