When the Media Has Questions, PIO Has Answers
by Laura L. Sullivan, Public Relations Specialist
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Whenever you hear the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) mentioned in the news, odds are that the Public Information Office (PIO) was involved in disseminating information. PIOs are the liaison between the agency and the media. “We’re responsible for handling all media inquiries that come in to the PCSO,” said PIO Sergeant Amanda Sinni. “We talk to and deal with media all day, every day, on the weekends, at night – whenever they have a question it comes to us.” Sinni leads a team that includes Deputy Dave Brenn and the newest PIO, Deputy Jamie Miller.
PIO is a resource for the media to assist them with their stories. Every day the media reviews arrests made in Pinellas County by looking at the arrest affidavits. Those may be very detailed, and often the media will base their entire story on the affidavit without coming to PIO, but PIO is always available for their questions or clarifications. PIO also checks all media mentions of the PCSO for accuracy and will follow up with corrections when necessary.
The media calls them for many reasons. “Media loves the helicopter,” Deputy Brenn said. “They watch the flight apps. Any time they see the helicopter go up we get asked why.” Most of the time it is simply for training. Even if they don’t get a call, the Flight Unit is usually in the air for two to three hours per shift so the pilots and Tactical Flight Deputies can keep their skills sharp.
Media doesn’t just contact PIO about big things like homicides. “Sometimes there will be a shooting and I won’t get a single question about it,” Sergeant Sinni said. “The next day we’ll get a lot of questions about something small. There’s not always rhyme or reason to why they ask about certain calls.”
Being a PIO isn’t a 9-to-5 job. Someone always needs to be available, and they have a three-week rotation with each PIO being on call for a week at a time. For some major cases they’ll go out on scene no matter what time it occurs – such as an officer-involved shooting from another agency that will be handled by the Use of Deadly Force Investigative Task Force. “You can’t ever completely relax when you’re on call,” Sergeant Sinni said. “You have to be mentally and physically prepared the whole time.” It can be stressful, being glued to a phone set at maximum volume, expecting to have every dinner interrupted and every dream disrupted. “Usually the calls come as soon as I’ve taken my makeup off!” After receiving notification they’re expected to be on-scene within the hour, wrangling the media and preparing for a press conference. Even though Sheriff Bob Gualtieri will almost always be the one speaking at a major event, the PIOs also have to be camera ready because they never know what their job will entail. “I love that every day is different,” Sergeant Sinni said.
More common than on-scene callouts are the middle-of-the-night news releases. The PIO will get a call about a significant event that the public needs to know about quickly, such as a major crash, a Silver Alert, or a Purple Alert. Even if the event doesn’t need an immediate release, they might also be woken up by a shift commander or the communications center to be apprised of a call that the media will probably have questions about. These at-home duties can be even harder than going out to a call. The adrenaline and excitement of driving to a call at 2 a.m. is enough to wake them up completely, but waiting groggily in bed for more information or approval of a release makes sleep incredibly tempting.
A PIO must have a comprehensive knowledge of the agency’s policies and of Florida statutes, but they have varying backgrounds. Sergeant Sinni is proud of being the first PIO from the Department of Detention and Corrections. “I was a police dispatcher for about eight years before deciding to attend the corrections academy in 2016. Working in the jail was both eye opening and fulfilling. I knew that I was growing as an individual, but I also knew that I wanted to be challenged professionally. When the opening for a PIO posted I immediately began researching what it entailed, shadowed, and asked as many questions as possible.” It wasn’t an intuitive fit at first because she doesn’t love being in the limelight. “It’s not something I ever thought I’d do because I don’t like public speaking, don’t like being in front of people, don’t like having the attention on me.” But she got the position and quickly proved that a detention deputy can make a great PIO. Within ten months on the job she was promoted to sergeant and was soon training the next hire, Deputy Brenn.
Brenn has been with the PCSO for more than 12 years, the first year and a half as a civilian working at Safe Harbor, an emergency homeless shelter and jail diversion program. As a deputy he’s mostly worked in patrol, with some additional time in Human Resources doing background investigations on new hires. He has been a Field Training Officer, a corporal, and a member of the Major Accident Investigation Team – another on-call position that prepared him for midnight phone calls. The PIO position opened up at the same time he had an eye injury. “So it was a good fit to slide off the road for a little bit, let that heal.”
Deputy Miller is following in Sergeant Sinni’s footsteps, coming to PIO from the jail where she worked in South Division. Her bachelor’s degree isn’t related to law enforcement – in fact she also has her esthetician’s license – but she had always been interested in it and when she realized that you didn’t necessarily need a degree in a related field she applied at the jail and got her foot in the door. She’s still learning the ropes of PIO and hasn’t been on call yet, but she aced her first on-camera appearance. “I feel like we’re going to have a very strong team going forward,” Sergeant Sinni said.
PIO is a part of the Public Relations Bureau, and like most people in Public Relations the PIOs wear many hats. In addition to liaising with the media, PIOs review public records requests, write award nominations, and plan agency ceremonies such as the swearing-in of new deputies, annual agency awards, and the many other ways in which the PCSO recognizes its members.
Though the media always wants to know as much as possible, certain details must sometimes be withheld so as not to jeopardize an active case or put any lives at risk. Still, the ultimate goal is to put out everything accurately, appropriately, and in a timely fashion.
“Trust from the community relies on the fact that we are a transparent agency and we put out the information,” said Deputy Brenn. “If it can be put out, the sheriff wants it put out because it builds that trust, that rapport with the community when they know we’re not going to hide anything.”
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On this episode you’ll meet Detention Deputy Anthony LaCorte, who was named the 2022 Detention Deputy of the Year for his heroism in saving two children who were drowning in rough seas off Anclote Key. Deputy LaCorte talks about the interpersonal skills needed to be the only deputy alone in a pod of 60 inmates and emphasizes the need for both civility and humor when working with the incarcerated population.
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Chain of Command: Colonel
by Laura L. Sullivan, Public Relations Specialist
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No one ever thought running the jail was like a fun fair, but Department of Detention and Corrections (DDC) Colonel Paul Carey says that the complexity of the job can at times be like a thrill ride. “A typical day can be a rollercoaster ride,” he said “Highs, lows, twists, turns, and maybe even some nausea.” As the only person of his rank at the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), Colonel Carey is responsible for the 28th largest jail in the country. You’ll recognize him by the rank insignia of a gold eagle clutching arrows in one talon and an olive branch in the other, showing readiness for either force or peace, depending on what the situation calls for.
“The jail is a city within a city, and I compare my job to being a city manager. From handling the budget, managing staff of over one thousand, a large inmate population of nearly three thousand, and dealing with infrastructure issues in and outside of four buildings across 54 acres, you have no idea what each day the jail has planned for you.” He says it is imperative that the plan for every day remains flexible – and written in pencil.
When an inmate arrives at the jail, the DDC becomes responsible for every aspect of their care, custody, and control. From the initial classification that makes sure an inmate is housed so there is no threat to themselves or others, to the day-to-day necessities of life such as clothes, laundry, medical needs, religious services, counseling, case management, visitation, and mail services, Colonel Carey is responsible for it all.
They say that an army marches on its stomach, and it is equally true that the jail can’t function without food services. “I feel the jail could be in the running for the largest kitchen operation in the county,” said Colonel Carey. “On average we serve 9,000 meals a day.” Any disruption to the well-oiled machine that is the jail can have wide-ranging repercussions. “Something as simple as a kitchen mixer breaking can cause a major interruption to operations. It is my job to make sure division components have what they need to keep all functions running smoothly and timely, and to troubleshoot and solve any disruption in services or security of the facility”
Not only do the inmates have to get fed their three square meals a day, but the jail staff does too. When you’re safeguarding inmates you can’t just skip out for lunch to a nearby restaurant, so jail staff have their meals provided on site through a vendor. (And no, employees don’t get the same food as inmates. Although an inmate’s meals are nutritionally balanced, jail food is just one more reason why you should avoid a life of crime.) Colonel Carey counts his negotiations for better meals for jail employees as one of his great successes.
For PCSO members hoping to rise through the ranks, Colonel Carey recommends avoiding complacency. “The most important thing I found useful in my professional development was seeking a challenge out of my comfort zone. Look for and do not turn down opportunities you never thought were for you and it will benefit you immensely. Experience is irreplaceable. I’ve been able to work in nearly all areas of the agency except the courthouse. Who knows, maybe that will be my next stop.”
The colonel gives full credit for his success to the people who work for him. “I am lucky to hold a title and play a part in day-to-day operations and future planning within a large organization, however, it is important for me to point out the reason why the jail runs as efficiently as it does – it’s not me, it’s all of the professionally trained and skilled deputies, medical, support, and administrative staff working around the clock with a dedication to doing the job the right way and keeping the community safe.”
In fact, Colonel Carey is less interested in his own advancement than in mentoring future leaders. “What I care about the most is the positive impact I can have as a leader on those around me,” he said. “The core responsibility is to support the staff I work with – allow them to be empowered to bring ideas forward and create change. I am not doing my job properly if I am not preparing the next leaders to take on larger roles and to think more globally.”
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