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Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

Veterans honored in surprise drive-by parade

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As the 50-vehicle red, white and blue parade of cars, trucks, minivans and campers wound its way — twice — around a circular drive at the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home, the sight that stood out most was the group of surprised and delighted spectators.

Forty residents from the 120-bed facility — who served in American wars dating back to the Korean Conflict —had been wheeled outside for their most significant fresh-air time since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March.

Linn Rexroat, Pam Smith and Harry Provan, of the Santa Drill Team, prepare for the drive-by parade. (Joey Johnston)

They were socially distanced and wore masks.

They also waved American flags. They smiled. They cheered and applauded. Some teared up a bit.

It was a Veterans Day celebration — two days late — that was appreciated and treasured.

The event was conceived by Honor Flight of West Central Florida, a nonprofit agency that flies military veterans to Washington and honors their service.

Many elderly veterans can’t make that trip, so an “Honor Flight at Home’’ was planned, complete with a speaker from MacDill Air Force Base, shirts, hats, a clap-out parade and a redistribution of the medals earned during military service.

Those plans were canceled by the virus. The nursing-home lockdown lasted through the summer and still remains strict for safety purposes.

Veterans Day brought another opportunity — and some creativity.

The drive-by parade, which was staged and organized about a mile away at the First United Methodist Church, included the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, the Pasco County Fire Department, Mission Barbecue, the Rough Riders, the Santa Drill Team, Operation Patriot and private citizens.

A variety of signs were displayed to honor the veterans.

“It was wonderful,’’ said Johanna Snee, activities director at the Baldomero Lopez facility. “It’s definitely a boost. It gave our residents a little bit of normalcy.’’

Or, as one of the drive-by banners read: “You Are Not Forgotten!’’

April Currie, Honor Flight president, said her group has taken 40 flights to Washington with approximately 3,000 veterans. The “Honor Flight at Home’’ program has honored nearly 600 more veterans.

Given the virus and safety stipulations, Currie said she was delighted to see great participation in the drive-by ceremony for the Baldomero Lopez facility veterans.

“We tried to make it a big surprise and everyone was told, ‘Let’s go outside and enjoy the weather,’ ‘’ Currie said. “We really cannot do enough for our veterans. We want them to know we love them, we respect them and we appreciate them. We feel like we got those messages across, even though the health circumstances dictated us doing things a little differently than we originally planned.’’

Spectators wave, as a parade passed by the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home.

It was just fine for Sharon Richmond, a member of Operation Patriot, a nonprofit group of former and current employees with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

“Our purpose is to help the veterans and if they have a need that the VA can’t pay for, they often turn to us,’’ Richmond said. “Honoring the veterans with this parade was awesome. It was beyond my imagination. I’m so grateful because I was up here two or three times a week before the lockdown and I’m so happy they get recognized like this.’’

Richmond said she visited one of her veteran friends during the lockdown, but she could only come up to his window.

“He’s legally blind and hard of hearing and I couldn’t hear what he was saying either,’’ Richmond said. “He put his hand up to the glass and he wanted me to put my hand up to the glass. Then I cried all the way home.

“Just being here means so much. It’s our way of letting them know they are important and they are not forgotten.’’

The Santa Drill Team — a group of holiday Santa Clauses that honors veterans — added to the memories by displaying the flags from all military branches and the American flag on the rear of its truck.

“It’s more of an honor for us than it is for them,’’ said Pam Smith, of the Santa Drill Team. “It gives me goosebumps. We need to do more events like this. It’s so special and so meaningful. These veterans mean so much to our country, and we’re proud to honor them.’’

By Joey Johnston

Published November 18, 2020

Hillsborough singled out for recreational efforts

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Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation has been singled out for two state honors from the Florida Recreation and Park Association.

The Hillsborough department won a 2020 Agency Excellence Award in the community building category, according to a Hillsborough County news release.

Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation received state recognition for its efforts to serve and enhance the community through its facilities and programming. Nature Program Specialist Brad Lympany was named the 2020 Rising Star for his work to build relationships with the community, and to develop programs including the county’s Hiking Spree program. (File)

That award recognizes the department’s efforts “to serve and enhance the community through its 166 parks, 118 playgrounds, 53 community centers, and nearly 50 sports complexes,” the release said. It also notes that the department manages 55 youth sports organizations, serving  26,439 youths last year.

Among its accomplishments, the release says, are:

  • The transformation of Lucy Dell Pond park from an overgrown water basin that attracted illegal dumping to an attractive pond featuring an LED-lit boardwalk and native landscaping.
  • The creation of Carrollwood Village Park, which turned a decommissioned wastewater treatment facility into a park with an amphitheater, fitness challenge course, skate park, dog park, splash park, inclusive playground, and 24-hour gym for county deputies.

The department also offers a wide range of licensed after-school and summer camp programs, which includes the Positive Coaching Alliance curriculum.

The programming has a strong component for those with disabilities, and the programs’ fee structure is designed to make the camps accessible to all youth.

The department also has partnerships with community groups, including the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Tampa Bay Lightning, community HOAs and civic groups, including the Carrollwood Conservancy, and the Northdale Older Wiser Lives Seniors (OWLS), the release says.

Plus, the department fosters strong community involvement through more than 30 signature events, including the Northdale Family Fun Fest.

Other achievements include:

  • Efforts to change the way the urban forest is managed, including development of an urban forest master plan that calls for planting 27,000 trees by 2024
  • The All People’s Life Center, which hosts numerous tournaments, including those for wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, and other adaptive programming
  • The Ed Radice Sports Complex, which includes five softball fields, eight baseball fields, nine soccer fields, and 10 horseshoe pits.

Besides winning the department award, Nature Program Specialist Brad Lympany was named the 2020 Rising Star for his work developing and implementing Parks & Recreation programs, and building relationships with the community, the release says.

Lympany was involved with several of the department’s most popular programs, including Hiking Spree, Senior’s Outdoor Active Recreation (SOAR), and Eco Adventure Camp.

Lympany works with a wide variety of community groups, including Outdoor Afro, which is dedicated to getting members of the African American community out on hiking trails, and the Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network, the release says.

Published September 23, 2020

MOSI focusing more on community outreach

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In just a few years, the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) has gone from being millions of dollars in debt to being financially sustainable, operating in the black.

The turnaround of the North Tampa organization has come under the new leadership of Julian McKenzie, who was promoted as museum CEO in 2017, after serving less than a year as its CFO.

Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) CEO Julian McKenzie was the featured guest speaker at the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting earlier this month at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus in Wesley Chapel. (Courtesy of MOSI)

The museum leader led a restructuring effort that saw the organization downsize its East Fowler Avenue campus from 300,000 square feet to about 55,000 square feet, while trimming just about 10% of overall exhibit space.

“The big issue for MOSI was it was trying to be too much for too many people,” McKenzie said, during a recent North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting.

Museum leadership had to reconfigure its “core competencies and core values,” the CEO added, during the session, at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus in Wesley Chapel.

That has meant a shift toward a greater focus on community outreach — a mission of spreading more science education in schools and other youth organizations like the Boys & Girls Club, and Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, McKenzie said.

It’s entailed a renovated learning center on campus to host homeschooled children and summer camps, as well as a mobile science lab that features interactive STEAM workshops and assemblies. Another new program, in partnership with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, allows youth get to build a robot with the help of a police office, “so that it kind of demystifies the role of law enforcement,” McKenzie said.

“For me, outreach is essential,” the speaker said. “There is no reason why a kid in Dade City cannot benefit from the same level of science education as a kid from Temple Terrace.”

MOSI reopened in November 2017 following a three-month renovation.

Since then, the venue has hosted about 70,000 children through school field trips, and has reached another 55,000 through its mobile outreach program, McKenzie said.

Roughly 50% of children lose interest in science by eighth grade, he said.

He believes MOSI’s outreach efforts can change that.

The museum executive detailed how one of his colleagues is a first-generation immigrant whose parents don’t speak English, but a MOSI youth summer camp sparked interest in volunteering at the museum and then going on to college.

There are “dozens of other examples” of people who caught the science bug on a MOSI field trip or visit and are now leading engineers at institutions like Georgia Tech “and some other fancy universities,” McKenzie said.

He also told those gathered at the chamber breakfast that there’s a correlation among cities with “very, very strong science centers that are very involved in the local community” to high-paying jobs and high average median salaries in those particular communities.

McKenzie also shared a story about a Temple Terrace-based school where science pass rates were just 14%. After MOSI implemented outreach programs at the school, those rates rose to 48%, he said.

“I don’t want to fault the teachers, but it’s the foundation that is missing, and what we at MOSI are good at doing is building a strong foundation in science education for those kids.”

He continued, “We have the expertise in-house, and so what we’re pushing is the expertise that we have accumulated and track record that we’ve had in doing so. The results we have at that one school are systematic of what MOSI can have.”

McKenzie outlined MOSI’s next “ambitious plan” is to host education outreach days to all schools in the following area counties — DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Hernando, Pasco and Pinellas. Put another way, he believes MOSI “can reach 221,000 kids and really make a difference.”

The museum also has launched an outreach program to serve at-risk youth at various juvenile detention centers in the area.

“If we can light that spark and do something that they change their way of life — or they have something to focus on — then I think we have really achieved our objective,” McKenzie said.

“It kind of dawned on me, that was an area of the community that we’re not touching,” he said. “But, they are the kids that, in my opinion, are the most in need.”

Meanwhile, McKenzie said museum leadership has worked to boost visitor experience with more hands-on, functional exhibits on polymers, DNA, rockets, robots and astronomy, as well as establishing an art factory with a resident artist.

And, the museum isn’t just for kids.

The venue has introduced “Science After Dark” allowing adults to tour the facility with light appetizers, and beer and wine samplings. The next event is scheduled for April 6 at 6 p.m.

The museum also plays host to STEM networking, corporate teambuilding and events geared toward seniors. “We’re trying to have that balance,” McKenzie said of serving various community segments.

As for other plans, McKenzie pitched the possibility of changing the name to “Museum of Science and Innovation,” and developing an exhibit to showcase the region’s most innovative technology companies. “It’s part of our strategic review we’re going through,” he said of the name change proposal.

McKenzie, too, addressed rumors of MOSI getting moved to downtown Tampa, so Hillsborough County can redevelop the present site: “As you all know, anything to do with government takes decades, so I’m not too worried about it. We’re doing well, we’re thriving where we’re at, and that’s where I want us to stay, moving forward and impacting kids as we’re there.”

He also said this: “Before I joined (MOSI), I thought, ‘What the heck am I getting myself into?,’ and I look at it today, and I’m very happy to say it has completely turned around and the institution is very, very strong right now.”

Published March 11, 2020

A community steps up to lend its support

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Pasco County firefighter Hunter Garcia, his wife, Kayla, and their 5-month-old daughter, Clara, were traveling down Van Dyke Road on Sept. 13, when they were involved in a multi-car accident.

A total of four cars were affected, with five people transported to the hospital, according to a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office news release.

All three Garcias were taken to the hospital. Hunter and Kayla sustained severe injuries. Clara did not survive.

Now, a community event is planned to benefit the Pasco County firefighter’s family.

The event is set for Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Patrons can purchase a $10 plate, with their choice of barbeque pork, chicken, a hamburger or a hot dog, accompanied with two sides.

There also will be a raffle, T-shirt sale, bake sale and an auction.

Volunteers for the benefit will have a planning meeting on Oct. 20 at 1 p.m., at Heritage Park.

Admission to the event is free, with proceeds raised from the food sales, raffles, bake sale and auction benefiting the Garcia family.

Anyone who would like to donate food or drinks, take part in the auction, or volunteer their time, please contact Kristal Morrow at (813) 860-7991.

Garcia family fundraiser
When: Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
Cost: Free
Details: A fundraiser to benefit a Pasco County firefighter’s family, after a car accident claimed the life of his infant daughter.
Info: Call Kristal Morrow at (813) 860-7991.

Published October 23, 2019

Century-old bell stolen from Lutz church

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Members of Christ Cumberland Presbyterian Church are in disbelief as part of their identity has been stolen – a signature bell that has accompanied the church, throughout its history, as it moved from one location to the next.

The Lutz church became aware the bell was missing in mid-February, and officials still don’t know exactly which day the theft occurred.

This bell stand looks strange to members of the Christ Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Lutz, who are accustomed to seeing it with the church’s 116-year-old bell. The historic bell was stolen in February. (Brian Fernandes)

“We were stunned,” said Penny Knight, the church secretary. “It was so heavy and so securely placed, that we couldn’t believe it.”

A bicyclist who frequently rides around the church’s neighborhood, first noticed the bell missing from its metal frame.

He brought it to the attention of the church maintenance man and the authorities were informed.

With the bell taken, the only remnants left behind were a wrench and a foam cushion.

“They took a long pipe wrench,” speculated Cumberland Elder Sidney Swindle. “They unscrewed some nuts up on the top that held it to the frame.”

Swindle added that he thinks the cushion may have been used to delicately lower the bell to the surface.

Given how heavy the bell is – several hundred pounds – the theft was likely a team effort, the church elder reasoned.

Knight, who has attended the church since age 12, said the iconic bell has “been a long part of our history.”

In the late 1950s, Christ Cumberland Presbyterian Church was relocated to the Seminole Heights community in Tampa. Outside the sanctuary, the church’s bell was displayed upon a pedestal. (Courtesy of Sidney Swindle)

The bell was created in 1903 and has been a trademark of the church ever since.

Christ Cumberland was first established in Lakeland. By the late 1950s, the church’s wooden structure was uprooted from its foundation and relocated to the Seminole Heights community in Tampa.

“It was literally moved here by trucks and trailers,” the secretary recalled – and so too moved the bell.

After the church was torn down and rebuilt, the bell was displayed outside on a pedestal.

By the early 1990s, both the church and bell moved to another area of Tampa before settling in Lutz in 2002.

There the bell hung from a frame, stationed on the ground, between the sanctuary and the church’s adjacent building.

“In order to preserve it, we had it mounted on a concrete slab,” Swindle explained. “It was welded to the point that it would not move.”

This was done, in part, as a precaution to prevent kids from swinging the heavy object.

The theory is that it may have been stolen because the thieves think it has value, but Swindle notes that there is an engraving on the bell that identifies its original  home at the Lakeland Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

“The bell is very sentimental to us,” Swindle said.

The church remains optimistic for its return — even hoping that those responsible will have second thoughts.

Anyone with pertinent information is asked to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at (813) 247-8000.

Published March 20, 2019

An atrophied hand offers beauty, inspiration

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Finding and creating beauty in spite of life’s obstacles is something Shyama Rangwala knows all too well.

She is a professional painter and art instructor with five studios ranging from Land O’ Lakes, Tampa and Brandon.

Monali ‘Shyama’ Rangwala is a professional artist who owns five studios in the Bay Area, often teaching kids with special needs.(Brian Fernandes)

Her birth name is Monali; however, under her adopted artistic name, “Shyama,” she is renowned for her featured work in more than 25 exhibitions in both her native India, as well as in the United States.

Back in India, her paintings have been admired by prominent figures, such as the governor of the Reserve Bank, film stars and athletes.

However, this budding success came in the aftermath of a challenging childhood.

Growing pains
At age 5, Rangwala’s complaints of agonizing discomfort and the apparent underdevelopment of her right extremities, prompted her parents to take her to the doctor, where she was diagnosed with localized scleroderma.

Also referred to as morphea, this is a connective tissue disease involving collagen, a protein in the skin that provides structural support.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, excess collagen production in the body results in thick, hard skin texture.

Shyama painted this piece to pay homage to a Hindu prophet.

Rangwala had a much smaller right arm than her left, with limited use. Her right leg was also stunted in growth being somewhat shorter than her left leg.

The condition resulted in her being home-schooled for a year to learn to adjust to her physical challenges.

“I couldn’t sleep, I was in so much pain,” she recalled.

Her feet were so sensitive that she had to walk on smooth surfaces. Even to this day, stepping on a grain of rice can cause discomfort.

As if that wasn’t gloomy enough, doctors believed her disease might spread to her entire body – and reduce her lifespan.

In the midst of various medical alternatives being considered, Rangwala’s aunt introduced the idea of homeopathy treatment – a more natural, holistic approach.

While the treatment didn’t cure Rangwala, to everyone’s amazement, it stopped the progression of the disease and brought relief from her pain.

Her parents have often described her as their “miracle daughter” for what she was able to endure and overcome.

In this painting, Shyama captures an outdoor music fest.

As a practicing Hindu household, the family believed all the more that their faith played a significant role in Rangwala’s improvement.

Her grandmother also gave her a statue for safekeeping and to cherish – the Hindu god Krishna, which would go on to become a major influence in her artwork later in life.

A newfound love
At a young age, Rangwala drew inspiration from Hinduism, as well as Indian architecture, to start painting portraits.

It was a therapeutic outlet to help her deal with her disability, and helping to give her purpose.

“My mind is always peaceful when I’m painting,” she said.

Her parents had encouraged her to study medicine, but she ultimately settled on working in finance.

Doctors advised that she learn to use her left hand for everyday activities, although her right hand, the one affected by the disease, was naturally her stronger one.

This colorful piece, which pictures the Hindu god Krishna surrounded by cows, won Shyama first place at the Florida State Fair.

Rangwala had little to no flexibility with her right fingers, but was persistent in using that hand, accomplishing some 30 paintings in her leisure time.

While Rangwala recognized art as a remedy, she also discovered she had a gift for it – and so did others.

One day, her art instructor came to her home and, after observing her paintings, encouraged her to enter art exhibits.

Her first major exhibit was in Mumbai, India, and she said it was a big turnout.

“It was a hit – I was interviewed by a lot of newspapers,” Rangwala exclaimed. “Some of the film stars came to my exhibition.”

She showcased her art in major Indian cities and was persistent in exposing her work to prominent figures.

One day, she camped outside the home of the governor and told the security guards she refused to leave until she had the chance to invite him to her gallery.

Her tenacious efforts proved successful, after the governor’s wife recognized Rangwala and welcomed her inside.

After two years showcasing in India, she moved with her husband, Tilesh, to Tampa in 2002.

Her first show in the U.S., was at the Gasparilla Festival after a friend introduced her to the festival’s event coordinator.

Shyama’s exhilarating painting of four white horses with an eagle overhead won first place at the Florida State Fair.

Sharing therapy with others
Rangwala’s paintings often have bright colors to convey a positive energy, she said.

She draws inspiration from Chinese and Japanese artistic styles, and reads Hindu scriptures as a means of inspiration.

She, in turn, tries to exude that same positivity to her art students, whose ages range from 3 to 80.

She wears a special shoe to align her right leg with her left, plus, she uses a cane.

In spite of this, she is determined to accommodate the desires of her students, which first began with only two participants and has grown to 120.

Rangwala is not a teacher in the traditional sense, she said, because she gives her students the liberty to create what they please — and doesn’t follow a curriculum.

“I give them full freedom,” she explained. “I try to fulfill their wish.”

What separates Shyama’s home from those in her neighborhood, is this animal-inspired painting on her front wall for passersby to view.

This year Rangwala’s students had their sixth annual art exhibit, with green as the main theme of the paintings.

In addition to her studio classes, she also teaches art to autistic kids at the University of South Florida, which has earned her an award from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

Rangwala said she doesn’t want someone who has a disability to feel like it has to hold them back.

“I want to set an example for them that if I can do it, they can do it,” she said.

She is also planning to have art classes for the Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office as a way to alleviate the stresses that come along with their line of work.

From an atrophied hand comes creative beauty and inspiration for many.

To find out more, call Shyama at (813) 843-6784, or email her at . Paintings are available for purchase at ShyamShyama.com.

Published December 5, 2018

Agreement reached on forensic research campus

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Pasco County commissioners approved a three-way agreement that sets up the framework for ownership and operation of a forensic research and training facility on county land next to the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center.

One feature of the facility is a body farm to aid in criminal investigations, body identification and research into body decomposition.

Abigail Kennedy spoke at the dedication ceremony naming the Adam Kennedy Forensic Field for her husband, who died in January. Adam Kennedy, former principal of Crews Middle School, was the first body donated for research at the body farm. (File)

Florida F.I.R.S.T. (Forensic Institute for Research & Tactical Training), will be only the seventh in the nation. It is expected to become a national and international center for forensic research and its applications.

Pasco County, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and the University of South Florida are parties to the agreement.

“It’s really going to put us and USF on the map,” said Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore.

At no cost, Pasco will lease a portion of the facility to USF for 33 years, with two extensions allowed, for a total of 99 years.

“We’re excited to get this rolling and move it forward,” said Chase Daniels, assistant executive director for the sheriff’s office.

The campus will have a laboratory, classrooms, a morgue and evidence storage space. Virtual autopsies with 3-D scanning and chemical isotope analysis will be done. Work also will be done in the fields of legal medicine, forensic intelligence, aviation reconstruction and cyber forensics.

A tactical training facility for the sheriff’s K-9 unit and the Pasco Unified SWAT team also is planned.

Dr. Erin Kimmerle of USF’s Institute of Forensic Anthropology & Applied Science (IFAAS) will be in charge of the university’s research and training.

Kimmerle and USF led efforts in identifying bodies found in unmarked graves at the former Dozier School for Boys in Marianna.

The forensic building at Florida F.I.R.S.T. will be the Thomas Varnadoe Forensic Center for Education and Research. Varnadoe’s body was among those recovered and identified at the unmarked burial sites at the Dozier school.

About 5 acres of the future campus were dedicated in May as the Adam Kennedy Memorial Forensics Field. It honors the memory of the former principal of Crews Lake Middle School, who died in a car accident while driving to work in January. His body was the first one donated to the body farm.

The price tag for the facility is about $4.3 million.

Legislators approved the money in the state’s 2017 budget, but Gov. Rick Scott vetoed the item.

The county’s legislative delegation will try again to win approval in the state’s 2019 budget. Conversations with members of Scott’s office already are underway, Daniel said.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley said he sent a letter to the governor’s office in support of funding. “It’s very important to the state besides us,” Oakley said.

If Pasco is unsuccessful a second time, Daniel said USF officials have offered to “tap into their donor lists.”

Published Oct. 4, 2017

Have a holly, jolly — safe season

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The holidays are meant to be a time of good cheer, but with all of the hustle and bustle, there’s also more opportunity for accidents and crime, too.

Here are some pointers from various local agencies and national websites, intended to help you have a safe and happy season.

Here are some holiday safety tips from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office:

Be Safe While Shopping

  • Lock your car doors and roll up your windows.
  • Limit the amount of cash you carry.
  • If possible, pay for your purchases with a credit or debit card.
  • Limit how much jewelry you wear.
  • Keep your purse close to your body and your wallet in an inside jacket pocket if possible.
  • Place all packages in your trunk, so people walking near your vehicle can’t see them.
  • Remember where you parked.
  • Have your keys out when you’re approaching your vehicle.
  • Don’t leave cellphones, purses or other items in your parked car where they can be seen.
  • When using ATM machines: use one in a populated area and pay constant attention to your surroundings. If possible, go during daylight hours. If anyone is lurking near the machine, pass it up and find another. Remember to retrieve your credit/debit card after the transaction.

Be Safe at Home

  • Be sure to lock your doors and windows when you leave your home.
  • Don’t display gifts where they can be seen from a window or doorway.
  • Leave on a light or a television while away, to give the impression that someone is home.
  • Be wary of strangers who come to your door seeking charitable donations.
  • Don’t leave boxes from gifts outside for the trash collector. Take them to a dumpster so thieves don’t target your homes for new TVs and other items.

Fire Safety Tips

Here are some pointers from Tampa Fire Rescue to help you stay safe at home, especially during the holidays.

  • Be sure your batteries are fresh in your smoke detectors, and be sure there are detectors near bedrooms and on every level of your home.
  • Never leave cooking unattended.
  • Do not wear loose-fitting clothes near burners.
  • Keep the cooking area free of grease buildup.
  • Do not place items near the stove that could catch fire, such as paper towels, cereal boxes and dishtowels.
  • Turn off the stove and unplug small appliances, when leaving your home.
  • Never smoke in bed.
  • Keep ashtrays away from upholstered furniture and curtains.
  • Never leave burning cigarettes unattended.
  • Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children.
  • Use alternative heaters only in well-ventilated areas.
  • Do not use space heaters in areas where they can be easily knocked over.
  • Keep blankets, clothing, furniture and anything that could catch fire away from portable heaters.
  • Always use a protective screen near fireplaces.

Be Safe While Traveling

If you’re hitting the road during the holidays, these tips from AAA might come in handy.

  • Be sure your car is roadworthy. Check the air in your tires. (The proper pressure level can be found in the owner’s manual, or on a sticker that’s usually located on the driver’s side doorjamb). Also, get your battery checked, have your car’s fluid levels checked and make sure you have good windshield wipers.
  • Buckle up. Be sure everyone is buckled up, and be sure that little ones are traveling in the proper type of car seats.
  • Know the route you’re taking, and make sure someone else knows it, too.
  • Be sure that you’ve adjusted your seat and your mirrors for maximum safety and comfort before you leave your driveway, or the rental car agency.
  • Stay focused. Changing the radio, putting on makeup or talking on the phone takes your focus off the road. If a phone call or text can’t wait, have a passenger take the call or send the text.
  • Be alert to what other drivers are doing. Even good drivers can’t predict what other drivers will do.
  • Don’t drink and drive. If you’re going to be drinking, have a designated driver.
  • If you get lost, don’t panic. Often, you can simply take the next exit to turn around to get back on track.
  • Pay attention to weather conditions and reports, and make any needed route adjustments.

Published December 16, 2015

Learning how to police the ‘teenage brain’

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Jeff Golden
Jeff Golden

When it comes to de-escalating aggressive behavior — different methods are needed for juveniles than the ones that work on adults, said Jeff Golden, who teaches criminal justice classes at Saint Leo University.

Golden and other experts in law enforcement and criminal justice will be sharing their knowledge in a Summer Institute Course on juvenile aggression at Saint Leo University, May 5 through May 7.

In addition to Golden, other experts who will be leading instruction are Lt. Tim Enos, who currently works for the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office; Norm Miller, an investigator assigned to gang prosecutions; and Deputy Dave Cappel, a school resource officer for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

The class is being offered both for credit and for noncredit. Those who are not seeking credit can attend for free, provided there are still seats available.

Besides exploring issues involved with policing the teenage brain, the experts will cover:

  • Tools for de-escalating and preventing juvenile aggression
  • Techniques for communicating with troubled youths and building trust
  • Youth gangs and violence, impacts and opportunities
  • Crisis intervention teams and school resource offices, and what they do
  • Federal and Florida laws and agencies relating to juvenile
  • Causes of juvenile aggression and schools and solution
  • Bullying, harassment, violence and cyber bullying

The vast majority of police academies spend little to no time training patrol officers on effective techniques for policing juveniles, Golden said.

Most patrol officers have been taught restraints that work well on adults, but that can actually escalate aggression in juveniles, said Golden, who teaches graduate and undergraduate classes in criminal justice, juvenile justice and law at Saint Leo University.

“Most law enforcement agencies rely on some type of pain-inducing restraint to control someone physically,” he explained. “Adults understand: Stop what you’re doing and the pain will stop.

“Their rational thinking will take over and they generally will comply,” he said.

Not so for juveniles.

“Pain for a juvenile — and on a teenage brain — is like throwing kerosene on a fire,” Golden said. “The pain is going to make them scream louder, fight harder, and they are not going to listen.”

If there are other juveniles nearby, they’ll become more hyperactive.

“Juvenile aggression is contagious,” Golden said, “so we need to isolate it as quickly as we can.

If parents are watching and their child becomes more agitated in response to an officer, the parents may get upset and tensions could ratchet higher.

Proper training can help officers de-escalate tense situations, Golden said.

“When juveniles are screaming, we need to speak softly. We need to say things that distract them or that cause them to no longer focus on their anger.

“Anger takes an incredible amount of energy to maintain. Aggression takes an enormous amount of energy to maintain.

“The sooner we can teach officers to de-escalate a juvenile by diverting their attention from that anger or aggression, the faster the juvenile is going to de-escalate.”

At the same time, there’s no instant solution.

“I can’t flip a switch and turn them off, but I can definitely dial them down. We teach officers how to do that,” Golden said.

Police officers need to learn to distinguish between different kinds of aggression. Is the youth being aggressive deliberately, or is the youth displaying emotional aggression?

It’s important to understand the distinction because the tools to de-escalate the behavior are dramatically different, Golden said.

“Every incident an officer is called to — it’s an opportunity to reach out and help a youth.

“The more they know how to identify potential problems, real problems, and actually get through to the youth and establish a connection … Once we’ve got them calmed down … we can begin to communicate with them,” he said.

The real answer to root out what’s causing the juvenile’s behavior and to address that, Golden said.

“This isn’t some kid acting out for no reason whatsoever,” he said.

In some cases, the anger and aggression may stem from a juvenile not getting the medications that they need, he said.

“I’m not asking officers to become social workers,” Golden said, but addressing this issue requires a multifaceted response.

“We try to prevent things from escalating, or exploding. We’re not going to arrest our way out of this,” Golden said.

To register for the class, contact Karin May by email at .

Published April 29, 2015

Future is here: Body cameras coming to Pasco

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Many law enforcement agencies around the country continue to debate whether they should have patrol officers wear body cameras — but the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office isn’t waiting any longer.

More than 400 deputies and investigators will be equipped with body cameras in February, a movie Sheriff Chris Nocco said would make neighborhoods safer for deputies and the people who live in them.

Pasco County Sheriff’s deputy and field training officer Kristina Perez, right, demonstrates the new body camera that other deputies in Sheriff Chris Nocco’ department will be equipped with beginning in February. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Pasco County Sheriff’s deputy and field training officer Kristina Perez, right, demonstrates the new body camera that other deputies in Sheriff Chris Nocco’ department will be equipped with beginning in February. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

“This is not the panacea,” Nocco said during a news conference last week. “This is not going to be the cure-all for all the issues of our world. But it’s a tool, just like any other tool that we use in law enforcement.”

The sheriff’s office is in the process of ordering 415 sets of Taser Axon cameras, which can be mounted on glasses, hats, shirt fronts, collars, lapels and other locations on a deputy. They record up to four hours of video and audio, and have a battery that lasts 12 hours.

Deputies will turn it on whenever they get out of their patrol car to interact with the public or investigate a crime, Nocco said. At the end of each shift, deputies connect their camera to a docking station to upload each video. Once it’s in the system, they cannot be manipulated, and deputies will not be able to edit them.

It’s the kind of system that will not only provide transparency in how deputies interact with people inside Pasco County, but it also could streamline the court system significantly.

“The criminal justice system’s job is to get to the truth,” said Craig Laporte, an attorney with Proly Laporte & Mulligan in Port Richey, who represents one of the deputy unions. “If an individual has, in fact, committed a crime, this provides evidence of that. This could reduce the number of jury trials … because the state attorney will immediately have information they can use.”

Cameras also could significantly reduce the complaints filed against deputies, each one of which must be investigated. By having an unedited video and audio record of the encounter, internal investigations would not have to rely on witness accounts alone, discouraging people from making false claims against the officer.

It also could stop a deputy from crossing any lines, making some of the problems police are experiencing in New York City and Ferguson, Missouri, a lot less likely to happen.

While the use of body cameras is something some observers have suggested after the officer-involved deaths in those cities, Nocco said Pasco’s plan has been in motion for quite some time, with field testing beginning last October.

“This started months ago because citizens are constantly pulling their phones out and taping deputies,” Nocco said. Those deputies were “looking on their own to get body cameras, and they were talking about buying them on their own. But I said to wait, because we have to come up with a policy.”

That policy includes when deputies are expected to have the cameras on, and how long videos will be stored before they’re deleted. The policy also makes it clear that the cameras can’t be used as “Big Brother,” Nocco said, referring to the novel “1984,” where supervisors can’t pull up random video just for the sake of disciplining a deputy.

The entire program will cost $400,000 a year — far less than what other neighboring agencies like the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is considering, Nocco said. Initial funds will come from federal forfeiture dollars, but future years will require funding through tax dollars controlled by the Pasco County Commission.

The cameras bring their own controversies to the table, primarily when it comes to privacy rights, Fourth Amendment protections of search and seizure through the U.S. Constitution, and how footage is used, and what is made available to the public. Nocco says he hopes lawmakers in Tallahassee will address body cameras this coming year, but in the meantime, he’s moving forward.

So far for the upcoming legislative session, only one bill has been filed in Tallahassee regarding body cameras. State Rep. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park, filed H.B. 57 on Dec. 4 that, if passed, would require every uniformed law enforcement officer primarily assigned to patrol duties to be equipped with a body camera by Jan. 1, 2016.

“We’re not fearful of being a leader out there,” Nocco said. “There’s always going to be bumps in the road, and there is always going to be tweaks.”

Cameras like this already are in use in different parts of the United Kingdom, and those police departments provided a significant amount of data on how the cameras were used. For example, one town in Scotland found that 70 percent of cases that involved body cameras were less likely to go to trial. Closer to home in Rialto, California, complaints against law enforcement officers dropped from 24 to just three.

Published December 17, 2014

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