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Tampa Police Department

Super Bowl heightens potential for human trafficking

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As worldwide attention shifts to Super Bowl LV, efforts are ramping up to prevent the human trafficking that is often associated with major sporting events.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is working with Uber to provide human trafficking prevention education ahead of the game, which is being held this year on Feb. 7 at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium.

“Hosting the Super Bowl in Florida for the second year in a row is a huge win for our state’s economy and tourism, but as we learned from Super Bowl LIV, traffickers will look to exploit this event to advance illegal enterprises at the expense of innocent victims,” Moody said, in a report posted on her website.

Her office has been involved in Uber’s effort to educate thousands of drivers and customers through educational videos about human trafficking.

The idea is to help them better understand the crime of human trafficking, how it presents itself in our communities and what to do when they suspect someone is being trafficked, the website says.

During the week leading up to the 2020 Super Bowl, law enforcement reportedly made 47 arrests related to human trafficking, leading to the rescue of 22 victims, the website adds.

In Hillsborough County, about three dozen adult entertainment businesses were inspected on Jan. 28, to ensure compliance with the county’s human trafficking ordinance, according to a county news release.

County code enforcement officers, City of Tampa Neighborhood Enforcement, and the Tampa Police Department made the inspections, which resulted in citations issued to two businesses found in non-compliance. The citations carry a fine of $265, the release said. Inspection efforts are ongoing.

Hillsborough County’s ordinance requires strip clubs, adult bookstores and theaters, cabarets and other adult entertainment businesses to post signage that provides information about human trafficking to employees, patrons and others. The signage includes details on how to contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center if they or someone they know is a victim of human trafficking.

The signage must be conspicuously posted near the front entrance, and in bathroom stalls and changing rooms, and written in English, Spanish, Mandarin and Cantonese.

These efforts are in addition to other ongoing efforts to reduce human trafficking.

In January 2020, the Department of Justice awarded a $741,556 grant to the St. Petersburg Police Department for three years to create a regional Tampa Bay Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is a collaboration of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with organizations that provide services to victims of human trafficking.

State, federal and regional agencies are among the 23 agencies on the task force, including the Hillsborough and Pasco sheriff’s offices and the Tampa, Dade City and Zephyrhills police departments.

The task force focuses on education, rescue and enforcement.

Local governments also have backed efforts to prevent human trafficking and to raise public awareness about the issue, with county boards in Pasco and Hillsborough counties declaring January as human trafficking awareness month.

Natalie Kehn, director of outreach for the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking, works to cast a spotlight on the problem, to promote education and prevention efforts and to seek help for people who have been victimized by the crime.

Kehn spoke at a virtual meeting of WOW-Women of Wesley Chapel, in November.

“Our goal is to end trafficking and protect children,” Kehn said.

She gave a big picture look at the problem, and also offered some practical advice.

There’s an estimated 40.3 million children worldwide that are caught up in the cycle of human trafficking, she said.

Between 100,000 to 300,000 sex-trafficking victims in the United States alone are under the age of 18, she added.

People often have misconceptions about how victims get caught up in trafficking, Kehn said.

“Luring and recruiting is the No. 1 way that happens in the U.S.; it isn’t kidnapping,” she explained.

And, it can happen close to home.

“Know your child’s friends. Know your grandchildren’s friends. Pay attention. We know that 53% of minor girls that were recruited, were recruited by another girl that was involved in trafficking. Not by an adult. Not by that creepy guy — that a lot of us think are the ones we need to watch out for,” Kehn said.

People also have a tendency to think that this is a problem that happens somewhere else, not in their community, she said. But she added, this, too, is an inaccurate perception.

In Pasco County, Kehn said, “we did a study over a 60-day period, where we just chose two websites to look at the sex ads. We found that there were 32 ads of buying and selling just over two websites, in just 60 days, so it is really happening here.”

She also noted that the Super Bowl is coming up, and historically, “there’s been a lot of trafficking around that.”

Kehn continued: “There are two primary factors driving the spread of human trafficking: the high profits and the low risks.

“The problem lies in the demand to purchase a human being for sex. Because the demand exists, the traffickers are filling an economic equation and filling that supply with victims,” she said.

Some red flags of human trafficking

  • Appears scared or nervous, may not make eye contact
  • No knowledge about where they are and why
  • Typically has someone with them at all times; this person may seem controlling.
  • Carries multiple hotel keys
  • Signs of branding (tattoos, jewelry)
  • Physical injuries or signs of abuse
  • Has no personal items (cellphone, ID, passport)
  • Not allowed to freely leave work or residence
  • Lies about age/false identification and/or inconsistencies
  • No private space available for victim

If you encounter or suspect someone to be a victim of trafficking, contact local law enforcement immediately and report the incident to the National Human Trafficking Hotline by calling 1-888-373-7888. To learn more about how to spot and report human trafficking, visit YouCanStopHT.com.

Published February 03, 2021

A bit of help, for safety on the roadway

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As Floridians seek outdoor exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic, cities are seeing an increase in bicycling.

Members of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office received a donation of 500 bicycle helmets to distribute to children and those in need. (Courtesy of AAA-The Auto Group)

While the American Automobile Association (AAA) urges residents to follow the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it also wants to help to make sure people are safe when out on the roadway.

To promote bicycle safety, AAA-The Auto Club Group has donated 1,000 bicycle helmets to be distributed to children and others in need throughout Hillsborough County.

“School-aged children are staying closer to home right now, which means more time spent riding their bicycles. Florida law requires children 16 years and under to wear a helmet. Unfortunately, not everyone does,” said Mark Jenkins, AAA spokesman, in a news release.

That led AAA to partner with local law enforcement to ensure children can get a helmet if they do not have one, added Jenkins.

Recently, 500 helmets were delivered to both the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Tampa Police Department. Deputies and officers are planning to distribute the helmet.

For information on how to fit a helmet, COVID-related tips, and general bicycle safety, visit AAA’s Bike Basics Guide at tinyurl.com/y7wdcexz.

Published May 13, 2020

Zephyrhills appoints police chief

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Following a four-month nationwide search for its next police chief, the city of Zephyrhills has opted to hire from within, appointing interim chief Derek Brewer the city’s permanent, full-time police chief.

At its Sept. 25 meeting, the Zephyrhills City Council voted 4-1 in favor of Brewer, a 15-year veteran of the Zephyrhills Police Department who’s served as the interim chief since May following the retirement of former chief David Shears, who held the leadership position since 2008.

Brewer’s appointment was recommended to the council by city manager Steve Spina, who was part of a six-person interview committee during the hiring process.

Derek Brewer, a 15-year veteran of the Zephyrhills Police Department who has served as the interim chief since May, has been appointed as the city’s permanent, full-time police chief; he will be sworn in at the city’s Oct. 9 council meeting.
(Courtesy of Zephyrhills Police Department)

Of the six applicants interviewed, Spina told the council Brewer is “without a doubt” the top candidate for the position.

Brewer, 44, gradually has risen up the agency’s ranks, since being hired as a patrol officer in 2002.

He served as a field training officer, patrol sergeant and lieutenant before being promoted to patrol captain in 2014.

While on the force, Brewer earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Hillsborough Community College, and attended the senior leadership training program at the Southern Police Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, and the Florida Police Chiefs executive leadership training in 2014.
He also graduated this July from the Command Officer Management Program at Saint Leo University, and is scheduled to receive his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Saint Leo University this December.

Brewer has received numerous honors during his law enforcement career, including:

  • Pasco County Crisis Intervention Team Officer of the Year (2010)
  • William B. Eiland Officer of the Year Award (2012)
  • Tampa Police Department Appreciation Award (2013)
  • City of Zephyrhills Employee of the Year Award (2015)

Besides regular law enforcement duties, Brewer is a member of several committees and organizations that include the Transportation Exception Plan Committee; Pasco-Hernando State College Technical Advisory Committee; Pasco County Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Task Force; Zephyrhills Code Enforcement Task Force; Zephyrhills Police Department Homeless Initiative; Zephyrhills Site Plan Review Committee; Florida Police Chiefs Association; and, Noon Rotary Club of Zephyrhills.

Several officers of the Zephyrhills police force spoke in favor of Brewer’s appointment to the department’s top job, during the meeting’s public comment period.

Lorenzo Limoges, a K-9 officer, said the agency, under Brewer’s leadership, has experienced “some of the best teamwork I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“…I’ve talked to just about every officer that we’ve got, and I can’t tell you one that hasn’t showed their support for Derek and the agency,” Limoges said.

(File)

Zephyrhills police captain Reggie Roberts said Brewer’s promotion to chief is “what’s right” for Zephyrhills and the police department.

Roberts touched on Brewer’s management style, outlining his work ethic, compassion and humility, and the handling of high-risk situations, such as Hurricane Irma.

“I believe in him 110 percent,” Roberts said.

A few citizens stepped forward, too, to express their support in naming Brewer the 10th police chief in the city’s history.

Amy Chappell, vice president and residential loan officer at CenterState Bank, said Brewer deserves the job and “has the talent it takes to bring this city together for the greater good.”

“You have an individual that cares, and that’s something you won’t find really on the resume,” said Chappell, who’s spoken in favor of Brewer at previous council meetings.

Mickey McPhee, who manages the Publix Supermarket on Gall Blvd, also applauded Brewer’s service as interim chief.

“Anytime we’ve needed the police department, they’ve just been great. And, it’s his leadership that makes it great,” McPhee said.

The store manager noted Brewer and the agency were particularly accommodating in the week leading up to Hurricane Irma.

“I just appreciate (Brewer) for the communication we had all during the storm,” McPhee said.

“We were the last retailer to be open in Zephyrhills. We didn’t call the police department, but he came down there personally and sat with us for the last 30 minutes (we were open). It was comforting, and it was his leadership that made it comfortable,” McPhee added.

The lone councilman opposed to Brewer’s appointment was Ken Burgess, who suggested an outside hire to give the agency a “fresh look.”

The Zephyrhills City Council voted 4-1 in favor of Brewer at its Sept. 25 meeting, with councilman Ken Burgess the opposed vote.
(Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

“I felt that this was an opportune time to possibly look at things from a new philosophy and perspective,” Burgess, addressing the council, said.

“During this whole process, I gathered as much information as I could, and I spoke to a lot of individuals, both in and out of the law enforcement community on this important decision. In our current society, I believe our next chief will face challenges that previous chiefs probably never faced or had to deal with. He will need to have an access to a multitude of resources and a willingness to embrace them.”

Council vice president Lance Smith countered Burgess, pointing out the city’s previous outside hires for police chief failed in the past.

Smith mentioned by name former chiefs Russell Barnes — who resigned in 2008 after accusations he created a “flex time” policy that allowed employees to receive time off instead of overtime pay for extra hours worked — and Jerry Freeman— who resigned in 2003 after just nine months on the job, due to perceived questionable decisions and judgments.

Smith said, “We have gone outside before without much success. But, that’s one part of the equation to me. The other is seeing the way the employees respond to Derek. “I think he’s done a great job,” Smith said.

Once Brewer’s appointment became official, Burgess said he will support him “all the way through, because that’s what’s important for the city.”

Brewer will be sworn in at the city’s Oct. 9 council meeting.

Published Oct. 4, 2017

Retirement ‘bittersweet’ for Zephyrhills police chief

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After 25 years of service, former Zephyrhills Police Chief David Shears is settling into retirement life.

Throughout a respected career, Shears at some point worked every hour of the day, every day of the week and every day of the year.

Now, he gets to relax.

His last day in uniform was May 31.

To Shears, stepping away from law enforcement altogether is “bittersweet.”

David Shears retired as Zephyrhills Police Chief on May 31. He spent 25 years in the department, moving up the ranks from patrol officer to detective, sergeant and captain. (Kevin Weiss)

“You enjoy the job, and enjoy doing the work and everything,” he said, “but, also I think with veteran officers there comes a point it’s time to move on and let the next generation come in.

“For me personally, my goal was to get my 25 years in here at the police department.”

He’ll most cherish memories of his time on patrol.

“The biggest thing I am going to miss is actually being out there working with the community as a cop on the street; that was something I enjoyed,” he said.

Shears, 54, exits the department satisfied, with what he considers a job well done.

“I can walk out with my head up high, feeling good about the agency and everything that we did here,” he said.

Zephyrhills leaders agree.

City Manager Steve Spina shared his appreciation for Shears’ service, during a May 22 city council meeting.

Spina said, “Chief Shears led his department — and the men and women working there — with quiet resolve, moral integrity and high ethical standards. While every department and every organization experiences turbulence and some level of discord, never in his tenure as chief were there any ethical or moral lapses that compromised or embarrassed his coworkers, the city of Zephyrhills or his community.”

Other councilmen expressed similar sentiments.

A portion of Eighth Street—from North Avenue to Henry Drive—has been renamed Chief Shears Way, an honorary designation for the outgoing Zephyrhills Police Chief. The council unanimously approved the measure May 22.

“He has been a leader, and he has taken this city and molded it into a safe, protected city,” Council president Alan Knight said. “He’s really just somebody that I want to tip my hat to.”

“He’s just been a tremendous part of this city,” Councilman Charles Proctor said. “He’s helped transform our police department into the modern police department that it is today; he’s left it in great hands.”

Shears is often described as ‘a cop’s cop.’

A native of Flint, Michigan, Shears relocated to Florida in 1982.

Prior to joining the force, Shears worked in internal security, and then became an electrician.

Law enforcement, however, was his true passion.

“I always wanted to be a police officer,” Shears said. “I was blessed that my parents paid for my academy.”

Shears joined the Zephyrhills Police Department in 1992 as a patrol officer.

He wasn’t the only one in his family to don the badge, either.
His older brother served in the Tampa Police Department, while his younger brother was an officer at the New Smyrna Beach Police Department.

In Zephyrhills, Shears moved up the ranks to detective, sergeant and captain, before being named the city’s ninth police chief in 2008. He replaced former chief Russell Barnes, who resigned after accusations he created a “flex time” policy that allowed employees to receive time off instead of overtime pay for extra hours worked.

Over the years, Shears worked with and trained scores of numerous veteran officers; supervised patrols and actions; oversaw the civilian side of the department; provided for records and evidence, communications and dispatch, volunteer services and operating equipment; and equipping the department.

His first year as acting chief was a “learning experience,” he acknowledged.

“It was a little bit more of a difficult process for myself,” Shears said. “I had to learn the administrative side rather quickly, and also I had to put together a budget, which is very tough on someone that’s never done one before.”

But, the most challenging aspect, he said, “was getting a mindset that you’re responsible for everybody in (the) police department. Decision-making that affects not only the police department, but the community — that was something that you better learn real quick.”

He preserved two key citywide streaks: all of the city’s homicides were solved, and no Zephyrhills police officer was killed in the line of duty.

There were other highlights, too.

In 2015, starting officer wages increased to $43,000.

Training opportunities, such as in-house de-escalation instruction, also ramped up.

Shears also helped modernize the department’s property room, instituting bar coding.

“I believe that we have made this a better agency than it was when I took over,” Shears said. “We have made improvements throughout the years that had really bettered this police department.”

Shears also emphasized high standards in ethics and integrity.

“Transparency has got to be a big thing in this line of work,” he said. “Whether we’ve made a mistake or we’ve done good, it needs to be out there so people understand that you’re doing the right thing, and sometimes the right thing isn’t always the most pleasant.”

Meanwhile, efforts to make Zephyrhills safer are still needed, Shears said.

Addressing the city’s drug problem is one approach.

“The majority of crimes that are committed—in any community—is generally drug-related,” Shears explained. “I think combating that situation, but also having the backing of our State Attorney’s Office, is something that needs to be looked into and firmed up, because that’s what’s going to deter a lot of crime that is committed here with thefts and all the burglaries and property crimes that are being committed by people addicted to drugs.”

In hindsight, the police chief role was burdensome, at times.
Besides navigating the city’s budget crunches around 2010 and 2011, Shears prepared for countless retirements and defections inside the police department –often to higher-paying agencies.

Around that period, he battled two bouts of colon cancer, and underwent an assortment of surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation.

Dealing with cancer, Shears said, was “very difficult.

“I had to keep a positive mindset that we could handle anything, and that’s the way I looked at it. I’m just thankful that I had a staff to step up.”

He’s been cancer-free since 2012.

With new-found free time — and less stress — Shears plans to take a family vacation, with visits to North Carolina and West Virginia.
House repairs and fishing are on his initial retirement agenda, too.

“I’ve got to learn how to fish again,” Shears said, jokingly.

Zephyrhills police Capt. Derek Brewer is serving as interim chief, until the city fills the position permanently.

Besides losing Shears to retirement, the department is also losing another long-time veteran. Zephyrhills police Capt. Robert McKinney, a member of the department for 15 years, retired, effective June 2. He had been in law enforcement for 25 years.

Published June 6, 2017

Local man was ‘Destined to Serve’

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Whether in law enforcement, military or ministry, Barry White has always been destined to serve.

In 2014, the Land O’ Lakes resident detailed his 37-plus years in public service in a self-published 218-page memoir, “Destined to Serve.”

Barry White (Courtesy of Barry White)
Barry White
(Photos courtesy of Barry White)

In the book, White chronicles key moments during his work for the Tampa Police Department, the Florida Wildlife Commission and the U.S. Army.

“It’s really about what I think are some very interesting things that happened to me or around me when I was in law enforcement or when I was an army chaplain,” White, 67, said. “A lot of the stories — especially the ones where I was in law enforcement — are very usable in some messages to drive home a point or an illustration.”

Some tales are exciting, some comical. Some are sad and others, heartbreaking.

Most of the book’s 17 chapters focus on his military experience, most of which he described as “super rewarding.”

His duties as an army chaplain took him to places like Guantanamo Bay— “a really unique experience”— and Seoul, Korea— “a neat place.”

Yet, the most challenging portion of the book to write, he said, focused on delivering military death notifications. As an army chaplain, he was required to inform next of kin when a loved one had passed away.

He figures he delivered about a dozen — “a dozen too many”— death notifications in his 23 years as a chaplain.

Barry White served as a soldier-chaplain in the U.S. Army for 23 years, before retiring in 2010. A majority of the book focuses on his time in the U.S. Army.
Barry White served as a soldier-chaplain in the U.S. Army for 23 years, before retiring in 2010. A majority of the book focuses on his time in the U.S. Army.

“It’s the last thing in the world I want to do,” White said. “I honestly and truly would rather be involved in some sort of a (police) shootout — as long as I have protection—than to have to experience those types of emotions. Just imagine having to go tell somebody — it’s just a very difficult thing to do.”

In fact, the emotion of telling people their loved ones had passed away was the most difficult he ever experienced in his career, White said.

“I’d rather have to do law enforcement than to go back and do that again,” he said.

The most enjoyable chapters to write centered on his years in police work, and when he worked as a state wildlife officer, patrolling the Tsala Apopka Chain and the Withlacoochee River.

“The Florida Wildlife Commission was a lot of fun,” he said. “You’re outdoors all the time, and even in hot Florida, you’re out there among nature.”

White noted that being a state wildlife officer was “definitely less stressful” than his three years in the Tampa Police Department.

Barry White also worked as a state wildlife officer from 1977-1979.
Barry White also worked as a state wildlife officer from 1977-1979.

“We didn’t have that many problems,” he said about working as a state wildlife officer. …“Even if you catch someone doing a crime — like shining (a light) at night — usually you were on top of them before they even knew it. There’s adrenaline, but it was a good kind of adrenaline, whereas the police department, you were scared because there could be a riot, a gang or a bunch of folks who were all drunk, and you had no backup.”

He continued: “Times have changed in law enforcement, but even then, there’s moments where you’re right in the middle of something and it’s like, ‘What am I doing here?’ It wasn’t so much that I hated the (police officer) job, but there were fears there.”

White now presides over funerals at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. He also fills in as a chaplain on Holland America cruise line.

Destined to Serve can be ordered on Amazon.com.

Q&A with Barry White, author of ‘Destined to Serve’
How did you get interested in law enforcement?
“I was inspired to go into the (Tampa) police department by my brother, so I really started getting the bug. …I think by end of my three years in the police department, I was already getting a little burned out. I wasn’t as happy there as I thought I’d be. I met some very good friends, one of which was a state wildlife officer, and he helped get me excited about that.”

Did you experience a lot of negativity as a law enforcement officer, particularly working with the TPD?
“Just individual times. When you were in certain neighborhoods, there was definitely animosity. My problem was that my heart is too big. That’s one reason why I wasn’t happy. It seemed like the officers that I worked with, if they had a particularly difficult person, they’d call me. It didn’t always work, but sometimes it did because I just had a way of connecting. But, that also can cause you a lot of problems, too. Like today, it’s so hard to let your guard down.”

How different is the Tampa area today since your family moved here in the mid-to-late 1950s?
“There was nothing out here. We used to go camping where the (University of South Florida’s) Sun Dome is. It used to be a big borrow pit where they took lime rock out, and we would go camping there. That’s where we did hikes as Boy Scouts. USF had two buildings when we moved here. Even here in Land O’ Lakes, between Collier Parkway and Camp Indianhead Road, there’s now a subdivision that used to be a camp.”

Barry White bio
Barry White was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1948. He moved to Tampa in 1957 and served in the U.S. Navy from 1967-1971. He worked for the Tampa Police Department, 1974 to 1977; was a state wildlife officer from 1977 to 1979; and, was a soldier-chaplain for the U.S. Army from 1987 to 2010.

Published August 31, 2016

Pasco’s budget approaches $1.3 billion

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Pasco County’s budget for fiscal year 2016 will be about $1.3 billion. But that outsized number won’t stretch far enough to meet all the county’s needs, including a pay hike requested by Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco.

Pasco County commissioners were scheduled to set a tentative millage rate, on July 21 — after our deadline for going to press.

However, the budget is still open for discussion and won’t be approved until September.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco might not get the money he requested for pay hikes. (File Photo)
Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco might not get the money he requested for pay hikes. (File Photo)

As it stands now, Nocco will get about $2.7 million of the $6.5 million increase he requested. His overall request of $104 million was about 6.7 percent higher than the budget approved by Pasco County commissioners last year.

The additional funds were meant to cover pay raises and benefits, as well as ongoing expenses for body cameras and helicopter maintenance.

According to Nocco, County Administrator Michele Baker’s proposed budget only provides enough money to give his employees a 1 percent pay boost.

But Baker said the budget proposal provides a 3 percent pay raise for all county employees, without raising the millage rate.

Nocco’s supporters are clearly not satisfied with the county administrator’s proposed budget.

On July 14, employees from the sheriff’s office and fire rescue packed the Dade City Courthouse meeting room as the commissioners received their first public briefing on the budget.

“We’re out here fighting for the sheriff’s budget,” said Sgt. Justin Ross, the department’s union representative.

According to data collected by the sheriff’s department, the starting pay for a Pasco County deputy is just under $40,000. With five years’ experience, pay rises to more than $42,000.

However, the average starting pay in surrounding counties is nearly $43,000. At the Tampa Police Department, a deputy would start at about $47,000. With five years’ experience, pay increases by nearly $10,000.

“You have a bunch of deputies out there unhappy,” said Ross. “They are looking to go elsewhere. Really, we need to start now. It’s imperative.”

Nocco told the commission members he expects to lose up to 60 deputies by the end of the year. That’s an increase over the 44 deputies who left last year.

To meet all of Nocco’s needs, the millage rate would have to be increased about a quarter percent over its current rate of 8.9, according to Assistant County Administrator Heather Grimes.

That equates to a tax bill increase of about $28.50 a year for a homeowner with a $150,000 house.

The total $1.3 billion budget is about $90 million more than the current budget. But, the operating budget of about $450 million is a decrease of just under 1 percent.

The county has had modest growth of about 4.5 percent. Property valuations rose by about $1 billion, translating to an additional $7.7 million in county coffers. But much of that is from new construction.

Existing homes are protected by the state’s Save Our Homes provision that pegs increases to the Consumer Price Index, which is less than 1 percent. The index periodically measures the prices for goods and services paid by households.

“Revenue is not going to recover at the same rate as property valuations,” said Baker.

The county could run out of its general fund reserves – currently about $8.5 million – within three years based on increasing expenses year to year. And, operating reserves of about $24 million would only cover about six weeks of expenses during a natural disaster such as a hurricane.

Baker said the county’s budget is focused on more efficiencies and eliminating waste.

“Money may not be there for a lot of things that we want to do,” she said.

Among highlights in the budget are $1.4 million for a one-time purchase of security cameras at the jail, and maintenance for the helicopter unit. Funds also are allocated for two pilot programs for an inmate work program and a unit that goes after unlicensed contractors.

An annual storm water fee to upgrade failing drainage systems will increase from $47 to $57.

The county will cover the costs of eliminating a $10 recreation fee for each child who plays in noncompetitive sports leagues.

Unless a tax hike is approved, vehicles for three fire stations and construction of a station on Overpass Road in the Watergrass subdivision in Wesley Chapel will remain unfunded. Money is available for those one-time expenditures, Baker said, but there are no funds for recurring personnel costs.

That didn’t sit well with Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey. “I’m a little unhappy,” she said. “Who made the decision?”

Baker took responsibility. “We just couldn’t get it done without making cuts somewhere else,” she said. “It was too big a nut to be funded.”

Published July 22, 2015

Will body cameras become new standard?

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The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office rolled out the use of body cameras as standard equipment for its deputies beginning in February.

The Tampa Police Department has adopted a pilot program, using 80 cameras in three police districts.

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco and Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor spoke recently at Saint Leo University about the use of body cameras. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)
Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco and Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor spoke recently at Saint Leo University about the use of body cameras.
(Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

The leaders of both police agencies spoke about the use of body cameras at the debut of the Criminal Justice Speaker Showcase on April 16 at Saint Leo University.

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco and Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor addressed roughly two dozen faculty, students and media about the expanding use of body cameras.

Pasco’s deputies and investigators put on a body camera at the beginning of each shift.

Nocco made the decision to use the cameras after seeking opinions from other law enforcement agencies that were using the technology even before the tragic events in Ferguson, Missouri.

“One thing that was consistent when they were asked the question ‘Would you ever go back?’ They all said no,” Nocco said.

The Ferguson, Missouri incident involved a white police officer who shot and killed a 17-year-old black teenager.

The incident sparked riots in Ferguson and a national protest regarding charges of excessive police force and racism.

An investigation cleared the officer in Ferguson of any wrongdoing.

The use of body cameras will have a significant impact on policing, Nocco said.

“It’s going to change the way we do law enforcement,” Nocco said. “It’s an evidence-based business model.”

Police departments already using the cameras have reported fewer confrontations and reduced complaints from residents.

Nocco also said he expects the court system will benefit, because more suspects will plead out cases rather than go to trial.

“If we can reduce the backlog because of the evidence, think how much more efficient courts will be,” he said.

Videos taken by bystanders on camera cellphones have brought mixed results.

A grand jury declined to indict officers caught on tape using a banned chokehold while arresting Eric Garner on Staten Island for selling single cigarettes. Garner died at the scene.

But another bystander in North Charleston, South Carolina taped a police officer shooting Walter Scott in the back as he fled after a routine traffic stop for a broken tail light. The officer has been charged with murder.

Still, the objectivity of a video is what many hope will resolve disputes of fact and create more transparency when confrontations happen.

“Once it is ironed out, it will be a regular thing” said Jennifer Booker, a staff member at Saint Leo University. “I think it will become a piece of evidence like DNA was in the 80s. They shoot exactly what happens from beginning to start.”

Rickado St. Fleur, a criminal justice major, hopes to some day work for the federal Homeland Security agency. “It’s definitely going to take some time to get used to them,” he said. “But it definitely helps. It will help society regain the bond with law enforcement.”

The Pasco sheriff’s department issued more than 400 sets of Taser Axon cameras that are mounted usually onto glasses, hats, on shirt fronts or collars of deputies or investigators. Cameras are turned on to record interactions with the public. At the end of a shift, video is uploaded to a docking station.

Castor opted for a pilot program with 80 body cameras deployed to 18 officers in each of three districts, and six to officers on bicycle patrols.

“We need to have our side seen,” she said.

It’s a learning curve for everyone.

“It’s going to be an ongoing process to see how the public reacts, and the officers,” Castor said. So far, acceptance has been high, she said.

The cameras raise questions about privacy, search and seizure protections, and about how the video can be used. Currently public record requests for footage are reviewed in-house. Software can blur out certain information such as license tags or identities of minors.

Lawmakers are weighing in during the current legislative session. One bill would require agencies that use body cameras to set policies on their use and training requirements. A second bill would set exemptions to the state’s public records law that supporters say would protect the general public’s privacy. Critics say that could lead to less transparency and allow law enforcement to conceal misdeeds.

Castor said there should be some limitations. She noted that Tampa successfully barred the release of video showing the deaths of two Tampa police officers killed during a routine traffic stop.

“I don’t think that we’ll see the end of legislation for several years,” Nocco said.

But Nocco believes that body cameras are here to stay.

“As we move forward, it’s going to be constantly evolving, constantly changing,” Nocco said. “We’ll be much better off for it.”

Published April 22, 2015