News & Views: July - September 2020

Issue 3: July-September 2020

This year’s annual Hurricane Deployment Training included chainsaw safety, using winches for pulling vehicles out of ditches, and cooking for large groups of people in the mobile kitchen.

Which division has two shops—one at the ASB and one at the SAB? The answer is on page 11.

July-September 2020

Pinellas County

Sheriff’s Office

A publication of the External and Legislative Affairs Section of the Public Relations Bureau Editor Joanna Cheshire Assistant Editor/Writer Michelle Whiting Designer Tracey Welch

The health and safety of our community is our top priority, so unfortunately this year’s Ride & Run With The Stars event has been canceled. However, we hope you will continue to support the Sheriff’s Christmas Sharing Project.

• Interoffice your check made payable to Ride & Run With The Stars to Sergeant Elizabeth Brady, PRPU • Make an electronic payment at www.rideandrunwiththestars.com • Adopt a family by contacting Sandra Garcia-Olivares, Victim Advocate, at sgarcia-olivares@pcsonet.com or 2-6465 PAGE

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We are accepting donations through December 1st.

Congratulations to the members who were recognized by community groups.

Sergeant Lonnie Redmon, Community Bible Baptist Church, Honor Our Heroes, Perseverance Award

In January 2020, Sergeant Lonnie Redmon responded to an armed robbery at a CVS in Clearwater. Three suspects stole about $45,000 worth of prescription opioid medication, then fled the store. Sergeant Redmon took the initiative to search the area outside the business for clues. After making 18 entries noting pieces of evidence, Sergeant Redmon came across discarded cotton that looked as if it had come off the top of pill bottles. Eventually, the evidence led him to a residence on West Avenue where he found a white Chrysler 200 and a pile of cotton laying on the ground behind it. Sergeant Redmon confirmed over the radio that the surveillance camera captured images of a white Chrysler 200 at the scene of the crime. He called for backup and arrested the suspects. Due to Sergeant Redmon’s meticulous approach to this case, it was solved quickly with the suspects being apprehended without death or injury.

Corporal Corey Cephas, Clearwater Bar Association, Allen L. Moore Memorial Gold Badge Award

In December 2019, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office received a Notice of Execution to levy a vehicle and sell it at auction. The vehicle belonged to a woman named Teresa who did not speak English very well and spoke fluent Polish. Corporal Cephas, who was assigned to the case, helped resolve the situation by using a translator to go over details with Teresa. He discovered that she never received notice of the hearings or motions regarding her vehicle. Through deliberate and compassionate efforts, Corporal Cephas learned the summons were sent to the wrong address, and he helped explain to Teresa her rights and how she could recover possession of her vehicle. Corporal Cephas was recognized for the professionalism, integrity, and compassion he displayed during this case.

Deputy Eric Gilkes, Mr. Tampa Super Heavyweight Champion

Deputy Eric Gilkes won the title of Mr. Tampa Super Heavyweight Champion at the 2020 National Physic Committee Tim Gardner Tampa Extravaganza, and was runner-up for the Mr. Florida Super Heavyweight Champion at the Deke Warner Florida State Classic. He has been competing in bodybuilding since 1988 and also won second place in the Mr. Tampa Bodybuilding Show in the Heavyweight Division and Over 35 Division in 2012.

He started training for this year’s competition in January of 2019 by doing weight training, cardio twice a day, stretching, and intermittent fasting. When the public health crisis hit in March, the competition date got moved from June 1 to August 1, and he had to adjust his routine since gyms were closed.

“When COVID-19 started, I thought that I wouldn’t be able to compete this year,” Deputy Gilkes said. “But I stayed committed, kept fighting through the adversity, found alternative workouts to do at home in my garage, and the rest is history! When I started training in January, I weighed in at 275 pounds, and when I weighed in at my competition I was 235.”

Deputy Gilkes has always had the goal of winning in his division and says he is proud of what he has accomplished this year. He also said he wants PCSO members to know, “If anyone needs my assistance, I am willing to help them meet or maintain their fitness goals! They can email me anytime!”

Lieutenant Ryan Buckley, Law Enforcement

Lieutenant Buckley has been an inspiring leader to the deputies in his squad and has provided true leadership and direction during some of the challenging months of 2020. He has treated the members with respect and given them encouragement when needed.

Mary Monterroza & Emily Mackedon, Support

Deputy Hector Ruiz, Detention

On April 8, 2020, a suspect came into the Pinellas County Jail and was uncooperative with staff during the initial booking process. Due to his medical status, the suspect was escorted to a cell for close observation, and Deputy Ruiz assisted him in removing his clothing. While removing the suspect’s pants, Deputy Ruiz noticed an object in his rectal area, and then a knife fell into the crotch of his pants. Deputy Ruiz quickly took possession of the knife and secured it. His observation, skills, and quick thinking prevented anyone from getting hurt during this incident.

In May 2020, Child Protection Investigator Emily Mackedon (not pictured) received a case of suspected child abuse and was attempting to make contact with the family. While visiting the home, she heard loud cursing between a mother and child. After speaking with supervisors and law enforcement, Emily entered the home and made a report on the mother and two-year-old child. Upon later discovering that the mother had another six-year-old child, the case was assigned to Child Protection Investigator Mary Monterroza, and she continued working on the investigation. Through diligent follow-ups with relatives, Mary learned the six-year-old child was not living with family members, which the mother had falsely reported. The child was discovered at the home, hiding underneath a bed, and had numerous bruises and injuries that the mother had tried to conceal with makeup and temporary tattoos. Due to Mary and Emily’s hard work on this case, the mother was arrested for child abuse and neglect, and the children were saved from enduring further abuse.

July-September 2020

Recovering From COVID-19 How PCSO Has Adjusted to the New Normal

In the spring of 2020, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office dove right into an emergency response to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Since March, every area of the agency has been affected in some way—some significant and some small.

Although the sheriff’s office has begun to ease restrictions, many divisions are still adjusting and recovering from dramatic changes in operations. Here are some areas of the agency whose operations were affected by the virus and how members have adapted to changes in their work routines.

Human Resources Bureau • In the early stages of the COVID-19 response, HR halted all in-person interviews and used Zoom instead.

• Once applicants were allowed back into the SAB, members and candidates were socially distanced during interviews and testing.

• Deputy recruits who had started the law enforcement academy experienced a six-week break. An additional law enforcement academy was delayed because of the shutdowns, postponing the hiring of sponsored law enforcement deputy recruits.

“Even though HR continued to process applications during the early stages of COVID-19, it was difficult not knowing when we would be able to bring new hires on board. Candidates were anxious and unemployed, awaiting start dates, and we were not certain when an official start date would be secured. Throughout the entire COVID-19 early days of changes and procedure implementations, the entire HR staff remained flexible and

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positive. Our members took this time as an opportunity to get caught up on tasks such as scanning projects and updating forms and procedures. In addition, HR administrative staff was called upon to assist with a data entry project with Intelligence Led Policing. “ --Lori Pereira, Human Resources Manager

Public Relations Bureau • When the threat of COVID-19 became more significant, the Community Programs Section stopped entertaining requests for agency speakers and assets. It also postponed all programming like the Sheriff’s Citizens Academy.

• The External & Legislative Affairs Section created educational and informative content for social media to keep the community engaged.

• The PR team stepped in to help serve meals at the SAB and NDS so that members could eat onsite to help prevent the spead of the virus.

“Community Programs is always going. We often have programs or events running multiple nights during the workweek and on Saturdays. So for us, going from getting geared up for the busiest time of year to nothing was like hitting a brick wall at warp speed. Our main goal is to show the community all the amazing things the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office does, but we weren’t able to get out there. It was tough. Ultimately, we kept ourselves busy on a lot of “rainy day” projects that we save for those times of the year we do eventually slow down. We also stayed engaged with our program participants and community partners on our status and started to work on planning for our return to normal, whenever that would be. Back in September, we resumed a heavily modified Sheriff’s Citizens Academy program, a limited Sheriff’s Community Connection program, and a virtual version of the Sheriff’s Citizens Academy Alumni Association. We’re hoping to continue to restart programming and get back out there at community events very soon!”

--Ricky Butler, Community Programs Manager

Patrol Operations Bureau • Read-off was canceled and patrol depended on remote technology to pass operational information between the squads and shifts.

• Uniformed patrol deputies initiated contact via telephone for certain calls for service to limit personal contact.

• Patrol was responsible for the large-scale beach reopening where hundreds of deputies, ensured group size and social distancing requirements were met. Additionally, because the reopening took place during Memorial Day weekend, one of the busiest times of year, traffic issues and concerns were proactively addressed with the creation of the Beach Capacity Dashboard.

“Specialized units such as the School Resource Unit, Community Policing Unit, and other deputies had their schedules cleared of daily duties, and they were tasked with emergency response team duties. In many cases, members worked six or seven days a week with minimal days off. Members relied on each other for support, leaned on their dedication to the public as their motivation, and were assisted by the services the agency provided, such as meals provided onsite. In many cases, members had to be directed to take time off as they truly wanted to help and provide selfless service throughout this period.”

--Captain Nick Lazaris

Now that fingerprinting the public has started again, fingerprint technicians use an appointment scheduling system, wear gloves and masks, and do temperature checks in the lobby. Cleaning and sanitizing machines has become routine.

Judicial Operations Bureau • Deputies assigned to the criminal courts had to learn how to operate courtrooms virtually using Zoom, while defendants and attorneys appeared on monitors.

• All visitors to the courthouse had to wear a mask and pass a health screening. All courthouses had designated social distancing markers. Once court proceedings resumed, courtrooms had to be altered to accommodate no more than 10 people.

• The bureau developed a system to transport paperwork between the Pinellas County Justice Center and the Pinellas County Jail to limit crosscontamination between facilities.

“During the onset of the pandemic, the Florida Supreme Court only allowed essential court proceedings. Since our operations almost came to a halt, our court security deputies were able to be redeployed to our Patrol Operations Bureau to assist with the new challenges presented to them because of this crisis. The most change was the reduction of personal contact with offenders and the necessity to find other means to communicate safely for health reasons. The court system before COVID-19 was extremely efficient and the visitor count at the Pinellas County Justice Center had an average of 5,780 visitors a month. The inability to have all required personnel for court proceedings, as well as victims, families, and friends, in the courtroom gallery has been a challenge. Now the challenge is trying to reduce the backlog of court proceedings while maintaining compliance with CDC guidelines as the bureau moves forward.”

--Captain Cynthia Gibson

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July-September 2020

Resiliency & Wellness Program

The word resilience means the power or ability of a material to return to its original form or position after being bent, compressed, or stretched; the ability of a person to adjust to or recover readily from illness, adversity, or major life changes; and the ability of an organization to respond to or recover from a crisis. In addition, wellness can be defined as the state of being in a healthy body and mind as the result of deliberate effort.

Deputies may be stretched in many ways while they serve and protect, but the goal of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office is to do everything it can to help them learn how to bend and not break under the pressures of the job. Despite the availability of the Employee Assistance Program and current health and fitness benefits, sheriff’s office leaders want to go above and beyond in providing different resources to protect the mental health and well-being of sworn agency members.

In April 2019, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri sent three sworn members to the Police Executive Research Forum Symposium on Suicide Among Members of Law Enforcement to bring back new and innovative ideas to the sheriff’s office. He also had conversations with a workgroup about mental and emotional health among members. Concurrently, Grants Administration in the Strategic Planning Bureau applied for grant funding that would cover some of the initiatives the sheriff’s office wanted to explore that came as a result of the sheriff’s research. Then in January of 2020, the COPS Community Policing Development Microgrant was approved, and the agency could move forward in offering six new initiatives to encourage resiliency and wellness among sworn members.

The goal of the new Resiliency and Wellness Program is to provide training, tools, and opportunities for physical and mental wellness so that sworn members can manage the stress from incidents and everyday events. Every sworn member has received the book, Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement by Dr. Kevin Gilmartin, which addresses the issues regarding the hypervigilance biological rollercoaster officers experience and how to overcome the symptoms that result.

Additionally, mindfulness and therapeutic yoga classes are available every week for the duration of the grant through the non-profit Kula for Karma, sworn members have 24-hour access to a clinical psychologist with the Tampa Bay Psychology Associates, and can take a four-hour resiliency and wellness workshop with Dr. Lisa Grossman of SMR Performance Consulting. Sworn members can also download the BurnAlong app for free, which offers thousands of classes spanning more than 45 health and wellness categories from different instructors, and share it with four family members, friends, or coworkers.

Lastly, the grant is funding a three-night, four-day retreat called Operation Restore that provides a safe, confidential environment for individuals to work through their most critical incidents and process the cumulative stress of risking their lives throughout their law enforcement careers.

At the end of the grant period, Grants Administration will collect feedback from participating members and determine which of the six initiatives were most beneficial and effective. The goal is that every sworn member will connect with at least one of the initiatives as a way to better themselves mentally and/or physically.

To receive more information about any of these Resiliency and Wellness Program initiatives, please contact Gretchen Reagan in the Human Resources Bureau at greagan@pcsonet.com or (727) 582-6226.

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What is your new position and what is your focus coming into the sheriff’s office?

The sheriff created this position in order to improve several different core functions of the agency. From my understanding, part of the sheriff’s vision was to house the Sheriff’s Leadership Institute in the Human Resources Bureau because the functions, like career progression, are a good fit there. The primary focus of this position is leadership, but there are other areas that tie into it as well—like the Resiliency and Wellness Program. A lot of members will be retiring in the upcoming years, and people will be promoted faster, so we are trying to start leadership development earlier in a deputy’s career, and then have it be a continuous program. We’ve had some resources in place, like the Employee Assistance Program, but we are taking it to a higher level now. So we aren’t stopping anything, but we are adding more programs for people to use. Looking ahead, we would like to do a mentoring program and some group training to help people perform better on their promotional exams.

From your personal experience, why do you feel resiliency and wellness are important?

I recently retired from the Army after 34 years of service. I’ve been on multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and have lost service members and soldiers in both conflicts. So as a result of losing folks and seeing a country at war, I’ve witnessed and experienced the critical effects it has on people. I think the reason why I am so bought into the Resiliency and Wellness Program is that you don’t have to use it if you are in a dark place in your life—though it is for that too—but it’s really like going to the gym and staying healthy and getting ahead of those things we experience in a law enforcement career. It’s about trying to become a better person, which will make you a better employee. These six initiatives are there to use, and it doesn’t make you weak if you use them, it actually makes you stronger. Resiliency is about bouncing the ball and bouncing it higher. When you hit a low in life, you learn to bounce back higher than before.

What are some things you do personally to stay healthy?

I work out and run a lot. I’ve run ultramarathons. I did a 50-miler last year, and I was supposed to do a 100-miler this year, but it got canceled because of COVID-19. Being resilient is not about whether or not you are the fastest or the strongest. It’s about doing something that challenges you. For me, I’m a slow runner, so I enjoy the mental game of running an endurance race and pushing myself to go farther.

What is your advice for deputies in choosing an avenue that is best to help them with stress?

We are encouraging all sworn members to try at least one of the six initiatives, or try them all and then let us know how they resonated with them and give us candid feedback. This is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Just because you don’t like yoga, it isn’t a bad thing, but if you’ve never done it and it could help, at least try it once and see what you think. Some of the other programs are more for people who are in a darker place and need help getting out of it. That’s why we have the clinical psychologist—so you can reach out to them instead of trying to figure it out on your own. If you have at least read the book and tried a few of the programs, then if members ask you about it, you can give them educated feedback. The most positive thing is that the sheriff is very open to keeping this an enduring program and trying different things. So we will see which ones resonate the most and then re-evaluate the others and keep exploring new avenues of wellness.

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July-September 2020

SPECIAL DELIVERY PCSO Birth Announcements

Stefanos Achilleas Savopoulos 7 pounds 15 ounces, 20 inches long Born September 29, 2020 to Deputy Stratos Savopoulos and his wife, Lisa Pinellas County Jail, Central Division

Ruby Carolina Fernandez 9 pounds 4 ounces, 21 inches long Born August 29, 2020 to Kandis Fernandez and her husband, Brian Executive Assistant, Office of the Sheriff

If you would like to announce a new birth and be featured in News and Views, please email a picture and description to proud@pcsonet.com.

To watch a highlights video of the Stars’ third season, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCUcaLydXV8&feature=youtu.be PAGE

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From 1912 through the early 1940s, the communications area of the agency was very small and simple. Before we had a large-scale Communications Division, when a person called the sheriff’s office with an emergency or to report criminal activity, a deputy was contacted at home who then responded in their personal vehicle armed only with a gun, badge, and bond card.

and four assistant communications shift supervisors provide leadership and support for the Communications Division.

These members are a vital part of the law enforcement mission and are sometimes overlooked.

The deputy didn’t have backup, in-car radios, or even wear a uniform. There was no way to know he arrived at the location, if the call was completed, or if the deputy needed help. It was the true definition of a lawman.

It wasn’t until Sheriff Tucker’s tenure, from 1941 to 1953, that deputies started using in-car radios. Prior to 1959, when patrol units were created, communication involved serving warrants, rounding up potential jurors, and managing jail operations.

Then, in 1958, Sheriff Genung brought dramatic changes to the agency. He implemented the first computer aided dispatch system (CAD) and obtained in-car mobile display terminals (MDTs). The Communications Center, which was formerly known as the “radio room,” took on a modern look and expanded with more terminals and dispatchers as the patrol arm of the sheriff’s office grew. The agency moved from the main office at the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport to the original Sheriff’s Administration Building (SAB).

The complaint writers filled out cards, which were then handed to the dispatchers to dispatch.

Once the sheriff’s office moved to a more spacious SAB in 1975, additional CAD equipment was installed. Three dispatchers worked in the same room as the complaint writers, and they were separated by a clear partition.

The technology and equipment we have available now in the Communications Center could not have been envisioned by previous administrations. Today, 30 public safety telecommunicators dispatch calls for service and assist with non-emergency call-taking when not assigned to a radio channel. One captain, one administrative assistant, nine switchboard teletypes, four communications shift supervisors,

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Information/photos provided by PCSO Archive Historian Penny Cooke.

July-September 2020

TRANSITIONS

Changes In The Troops

LENGTH OF SERVICE The Fiscal Affairs Bureau records indicate the following members have reached anniversary milestones with the Sheriff’s Office. Members with questions about their Length of Service certificates or photos, please call 582-6221.

OCTOBER 2020 Corporal Ginger Miller . . . . . . . . . 30 Years Eileen Taylor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Years Deputy Ronald Barbetto. . . . . . . 25 Years Deputy Sabrina Brown. . . . . . . . . 25 Years Sergeant Frank Felicetta III. . . . . 25 Years Diana Johnson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Years Tom Lancto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Years Mary Powers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Years Sergeant James Arntz. . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Lola Castillo-Belcher . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Laurel Conrad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Paul Cowan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Lieutenant Christina Cuttitta. . . 20 Years Deputy Paul Davis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Deputy Jana Demperio. . . . . . . . . 20 Years Deputy Donald Denbow . . . . . . . 20 Years Lieutenant Dennis Dotson . . . . . 20 Years Sergeant Jason Franjesevic. . . . . 20 Years Deputy Kris Fratus . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Tamika Griffin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Sergeant Brandon Harvey. . . . . . 20 Years Bobbie Hodson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Carolyn Ivey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Corporal Jamason Jessie. . . . . . . 20 Years Kelly Johnson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years James Jones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Deputy Chiquita Khan. . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Captain Nicholas Lazaris. . . . . . . 20 Years Heather Meade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Deputy David Merrill. . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Trnette Minor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Frances Rodriguez . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Deputy Joann Roundtree. . . . . . .20 Years Angela Salazar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years

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Due to the changing number of entries in this edition, we apologize for any unintended omissions.

For promotions, transfers, and new hires, go to SONET, “Administration,” “Human Resources,” “Changes in the Troops.”

Corporal Adam Sarlo. . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Lieutenant Michael Smalley. . . . 20 Years Regina Smith. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Tanya White. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years Karen Zulla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Years John Agresta. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Years Kenneth Banks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Years Sergeant Stephen Bergstrom . . 15 Years Sergeant Kellie Blount . . . . . . . . . 15 Years Deputy Andrew Boesl. . . . . . . . . . 15 Years Sergeant Joleen Bowman. . . . . . 15 Years Deputy Christopher Brady . . . . . 15 Years Robia Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Years Sergeant Kelly Bush. . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Years Deputy Mark Doncaster. . . . . . . . 15 Years Deputy Michael Garasic. . . . . . . . 15 Years Corporal Christopher Giles. . . . . 15 Years Pamela Gilmore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Years Lieutenant Spencer Gross. . . . . . 15 Years Deputy Sarah Harlan. . . . . . . . . . . 15 Years Deputy Patrick Harlan. . . . . . . . . . 15 Years Sergeant Lorraine Hinson. . . . . . 15 Years Deputy Jeremy Kurella. . . . . . . . . 15 Years Deputy Crystal Mcgill . . . . . . . . . . 15 Years Deputy Robert Moodie. . . . . . . . . 15 Years Deputy John Newman Jr.. . . . . . . 15 Years Deputy Christopher Noury. . . . . 15 Years Deputy Sean O’Brien. . . . . . . . . . . 15 Years Kimberly Priest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Years Deputy Charles Reiter Jr.. . . . . . . 15 Years Detective Travis Roberts . . . . . . . 15 Years Sergeant Jason Schmittendorf. 15 Years Annette Shapiro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Years Deputy Patricia Shoberg. . . . . . . 15 Years Deputy Mario Velazquez. . . . . . . 15 Years Corporal Frederick Waters III. . . 15 Years Corporal Hal White. . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Years Deputy Brian Williams. . . . . . . . . . 15 Years Corporal Bill Wiltse. . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Years Sergeant Matthew Wroe . . . . . . . 15 Years Nicole Akers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Years

Joy Jimenez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Years Deputy Phyllis Kahan Gaines . . 10 Years Vicki Norman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Years Ashley Pagan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Years Bob Ross . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Years Deputy Bill Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Years Tayloria Turner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Years

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD OCTOBER 2020 Corporal Rod Bisson, Investigative Operations Bureau: SPOT Unit Corporal Michael Blisniuk, Patrol Operations Bureau: North District Station Detective Walter Bonasoro, Investigative Operations Bureau: Crimes Against Persons Tristian Byrne, Judicial Operations Bureau: Alternative Sentencing Unit Lola Castillo-Belcher, Information Technology Bureau Detective Corey Hood, Investigative Operations Bureau- Tatical Apprehension & Surveillance Sergeant Greg Horton, Patrol Operations Bureau-School Gaurdian Unit Lieutenant Michael Hughey, Professional Standards Bureau- Administrative Investigations Division Deputy Christopher Jacobs, Patrol Operations Bureau- Safe Harbor Unit Detective Al Johnson III, Investigative Operations Bureau- Narcotics Division Kristin Jones, Support Services Bureau: Property & Evidence Detective Angela McNealy-Simmons, Investigative Operations Bureau: Burglary & Pawn Unit Deputy Sean O'Brien, Public Relations Bureau: Crime Prevention/Community Awareness

Kimberly Priest, Intelligence Led Policing Laura Ready, Investigative Operations Bureau: Arson & Auto Theft Deputy Jason Schein, Patrol Operations Bureau: Flight Unit Nathan Shawen, Information Technology Bureau Corporal Josh Short, Patrol Operations Bureau: Community Policing Unit Deputy Alex Siem, Patrol Operations Bureau: Community Policing Unit Dale Smith, Support Services Bureau: Forensic Science Division

RETIREMENTS The following is a list of members and their official retirement dates. Some members opted to use accrued time and leave early, but their official retirement date is listed below.

JULY 2020 Deputy Alvaro Berje retired 7/17/2020 after 25 years of service.

Deputy Marcelo Berje retired 7/6/2020 after 27 years of service.

Corporal Karen Donsbach retired 7/31/2020 after 26 years of service.

Deputy Steve Elrod retired 7/20/2020 after 26 years of service.

George Fallahee retired 7/31/2020 after 20 years of service.

Lieutenant Joni Goodley retired 7/31/2020 after 26 years of service.

Jeong Kang retired 7/30/2020 after 14 years of service.

Deputy Chris Lostraglio retired 7/31/2020 after 22 years of service.

Deputy Leeann Pierson retired 7/10/2020 after 25 years of service.

Deputy John Sachse, Jr retired 7/17/2020 after 16 years of service.

Melinda Scott retired 7/23/2020 after 14 years of service.

Stan Zieba retired 7/7/2020 after 16 years of service.

AUGUST 2020

Deputy Jim Elliott retired 8/3/2020 after 6 years of service.

Daniel Martin retired 8/20/2020 after 16 years of service.

Captain Tim Pupke retired 8/31/2020 after 35 years of service.

Cindy Shanley retired 8/3/2020 after 7 years of service.

Lieutenant Steve Wagner retired 8/28/2020 after 30 years of service.

Deputy Mark Whitham retired 8/28/2020 after 14 years of service.

NEW HIRES

Harley Diaz, Inmate Property Technician, Inmate Property Unit, hired on 10/12/2020.

Meghan Everson, C.P.I. Investigator Trainee, Child Protetive Investigation Division, hired on 9/14/2020.

Justin Extine, Criminal Justice Specialist, Support Services Division, hired on 10/5/2020.

Eric Grocke, Criminal Justice Specialist, Detention & Correction, hired on 10/12/2020.

Andrew Julios, Criminal Justice Specialist P/T, Criminal Court Security, hired on10/12/2020.

Raeleene Lilly, Criminal Justice Specialist, Support Services Division hired on10/5/2020.

Adelaida Olivas, C.P.I. Investigator Trainee, Child Protetive Investigation Division, hired on 9/14/2020.

Tina Schade, Administrative Assistant, Central Division hired on 10/12/2020.

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Detective Anthony Orlowski, Investigative Operations BureauEconomic Crimes Unit

DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT Security and Communications Electronics Division In the Security and Communications Electronics Division, the day-to-day work is, “fix the broken stuff.” At least that is how Senior Electronics Technician Daniel Redemske describes it, and he affirms there is plenty of stuff to fix. He works in the ASB shop at the Pinellas County Jail, which primarily focuses on servicing and installing the agency’s security systems, surveillance cameras, audio visual systems, and keyless locks, while the SAB shop, nestled in the Fleet Operations Division building, repairs almost every electronic device our deputies either wear or use in their Tahoes.

Manager Arnold Niederhofer started his career at the sheriff’s office working in the division repairing radios in 1987 and remembers when the jail had only eight cameras recording footage on VHS tapes in the booking area and just three access control doors. Today, the Security and Communications Electronics Division maintains 1,650 CCTV cameras, 3,235 radios, and 844 access control doors.

This means that more people like Daniel who have a mechanical background have to become more tech-savvy, and the newer members who are proficient in technology have to get familiar with the manual labor aspects of the job, too. In the machine shop at the jail, electronics technicians have to create custom mounting equipment at times to install cameras, and may need to break through concrete walls to run wire.

John Agresta certifies deputies’ radars and lasers every six months.

Daniel Redemske creates custom mounting equipment at the ASB shop.

Although the division is small and has only 12 members total, the team of electronics technicians and electronic systems integration specialists have very important roles that can change and evolve over time due to the nature of their career field.

“I’ve been fixing broken stuff for a long time,” Daniel said. “Yes, things are high-tech now, but we also need a lot of mechanical aptitude and problem-solving skills. I enjoy the challenge, and that’s why I have been doing this job for 23 years.”

While the electronics technicians at the jail often move around from working in inmate cells to the Marine Unit’s boat dock or the North District Station, the techs in the Fleet building stay put. Deputies come to them to have their radios, radars, sirens, or COBANs fixed. John Agresta is the resident expert on radars and lasers and ensures all 305 are calibrated and certified every six months so that if someone gets a speeding ticket, the sheriff can confirm the device is correct.

Between the more routine tasks, like fixing a broken radio, and the large-scale projects that can take months or years, “Over the years, there has been a like installing new surveillance cameras in Russell Willis repairs the electronics in deputies’ Tahoes. distinction between what we did and the jail, the Security and Communications what the computer side of IT did,” Arnold said. “But now that line Electronics Division is always busy. Arnold says that you might is getting blurred as technology moves forward. Many of our have that favorite technician you like to call to fix something for systems are now computer based, so we have to bring our skillsets you, but it’s always best to submit a ticket on SONET. up to that level.”

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Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office 10750 Ulmerton Road, Largo, FL 33778 727-582-6200 • www.pcsoweb.com