The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Pasco County Sheriff's Office

Under Construction 03/04/2020

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The Promenade of Lexington Oaks will feature a variety of retail shops. Construction for the Wesley Chapel site is scheduled for completion in July. (Courtesy of John Twomey/The Promenade)

Retail stores
The Promenade of Lexington Oaks is currently being built on Post Oaks Boulevard in Wesley Chapel. It consists of two buildings, holding a total of 12 suites. The larger structure will be 8,940 square feet, while the smaller one will be 6,000 square feet. Construction began in February and is expected to be complete in July.

 

This rendering gives an idea of how Wesley Chapel’s new Extra Space Storage facility will look once completed. Construction is scheduled to be completed by September. (Courtesy of George Murray/Extra Space Storage)

New storage facility
Wesley Chapel will be the home of a new Extra Space Storage depot, at 27545 Dayflower Blvd. The 116,000-square-foot building will have three floors, with an elevator. There will be built-in security cameras and air-conditioning, as well as units without air conditioning. There are plans to build a roundabout on Dayflower Boulevard, in front of the building, that will lead to Old Pasco Road. Construction for the storage facility is scheduled to be completed this September.

 

Sheriff’s complex
The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office is expanding its services with six new facilities on Lucy Dobies Court, in Land O’ Lakes. Several of the separate structures will include a training center, cyber building, forensic building and a depot to house a helicopter. The entire layout will be 64,300 square feet. No completion date has been given yet.

New gas station
A new Race Trac convenient store and gas station will be located at 29200 State Road 52 in San Antonio. The 5,411-square-foot building will be a hub for food and beverages. It is situated near the intersection of State Road 52 and Interstate 75. A completion date has not yet been determined.

Curious about something new that’s popping up in your community? Please send us the location — along with the address, if possible — and we’ll see what we can find out. Send your email to .

Pasco County adopts rental registry ordinance

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Pasco County has adopted an ordinance requiring owners of rental properties and vacant properties to register them.

The idea is to give the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office a way to find out who owns a property, or who’s authorized to be on it, when they’re called to a scene.

It also will give county officials information they need to pursue code violations, when a structure is becoming a hazard, property is littered with trash, weeds are overgrown and so forth.

Commissioners voted unanimously in favor of the new tool.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco applauded commissioners, noting the registry will help residents who have been dealing with nearby crime and other issues resulting from problem properties.

“They can’t sleep at night. They can’t let their kids out at night. This is something that will help them bring back their neighborhoods,” Nocco said.

The ordinance notes that commissioners recognize that vacant properties and the condition of many rental properties “lead to a decline in community and property value; create nuisances; lead to a general decrease in neighborhood and community aesthetic; create conditions that invite criminal activity; and foster an unsafe and unhealth environment.”

The ordinance also notes that while the total number of homes have increased, the total number of homesteaded properties has declined.

The registry will give the county and Sheriff’s Office a reliable way to communicate with others when properties  are “abandoned, neglected, or left unsupervised, or when tenants/occupants are violating county regulations.”

Owners of rental or vacant properties who live outside of Pasco County must designate a licensed property manager, based within Pasco or adjacent counties. The ordinance defines a licensed property manager as one who holds a current and active Florida real estate license.

The registration form also gives the owner an option to enter into a “trespass agreement” with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, giving the Sheriff’s Office the authority to issue trespass warnings to individuals not listed as authorized occupants on the registry.

“I’m really glad that we’ve arrived at this day. This is really important to the constituents of Pasco County that we take care of this problem,” Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said.

“I don’t know that this will get us all of the way to where I think we need to be, but I think this is a great first step.”

Commissioner Mike Wells, who advocated for the registry, said “it’s going to increase (property) values. It’s going to help life-safety.”

It also will help the Sheriff’s Office and the county’s code enforcement department, Wells added.

At the same time, he said, such ordinances have to be carefully crafted.

“It’s a touchy thing. We don’t want to overregulate,” Wells said.

Joe Farrell, of the Central Pasco Association of Realtors, told commissioners, “we wholeheartedly support this ordinance.”

Published January 29, 2020

Pasco County is eyeing new rental registry

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The Pasco County Commission is considering a new regulation that would require a registry for all vacant and rental properties in unincorporated areas of the county.

The registry would be implemented and maintained by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, and would require owners to designate a property manager to be responsible for receiving legal warnings, notices and citations for vacant and rental properties, according to a county agenda memo.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells wants Pasco County to adopt a new regulation that would require a registry for all vacant and rental properties in unincorporated areas of the county. Having the registry, he said, is a life-safety issue. (File)

The proposed ordinance requires annual renewal of registrations and updates, when information changes.

It also gives owners the ability to ask for notification when a tenant or occupant is warned or cited by the county or the Sheriff’s Office for violating county codes, and gives the owner the opportunity to partner with the Sheriff’s Office to trespass any persons found on the property.

The registry does not include an inspection component or require owners to provide services, such as garbage, electric or water, the agenda memo says.

Also, there will be no fee to register, update or change information in the registry.

There will be a fine, however, if after a warning the owner does not comply with the registration requirements.

The County Attorney’s Office has recommended a fine of $125 for the first offense, which would double for each violation thereafter, up to a maximum of $500 per day.

The fine amount will be set by resolution, at the time of the ordinance’s final adoption, the agenda memo says.

The idea for the rental registry came up in April, when Commissioner Mike Wells said the county needed to have a way to find property owners quickly, when the need arises.

He characterized it as a “life-safety” issue.

At the time, Commissioner Kathryn Starkey threw her support behind the idea, noting she thinks a tool is needed to be able identify who is accountable for code violations and other issues at properties.

The county now appears ready to move forward with the ordinance and is planning a public hearing in January.

Published January 08, 2020

He helped catch criminals, solve crimes for 50 years

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Det. Roger Cockerill — who was instrumental in some of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office’s  largest investigations — has retired from a law enforcement career that spanned a half-century.

In Pasco, his work included investigations involving illegal drug trafficking, casino style gambling, prostitution and human trafficking.

But his career in law enforcement began in February 1967 at the Suffolk County Police Department, in Long Island, New York.

Pasco Sheriff’s Office Det. Roger Cockerill’s lengthy law enforcement career was celebrated at a special retirement ceremony at Grace Family Church’s Land O’ Lakes campus. Cockerill spent a combined 50 years in law enforcement between the Suffolk County Police Dept. in New York and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. (Courtesy of Pasco Sheriff’s Office)

He officially called it quits last month, and was honored during a special retirement ceremony at the law enforcement agency’s quarterly swearing-in ceremony in December at Grace Family Church’s Land O’ Lakes campus.

More than 40 friends and family members gathered, along with dozens of other law enforcement officials — representing his native New York, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and other Tampa Bay agencies.

Now 75, Cockerill spent the first 20 years of his policing career in Suffolk County.

After graduating from the police academy, he started as a patrolman and worked his way up to the rank of detective in the Third Precinct in Bayshore, Long Island. He retired from that role in 1987.

Shortly after, Cockerill moved his family to Pasco County, where he joined the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and continued his calling in law enforcement — for another 30-plus years.

He began working for the local agency on April 24, 1989, as a patrol deputy. Most recently, he worked as a detective in vice and narcotics.

He was involved in undercover operations, and served as the subject matter expert in cases involving surreptitious video and audio recordings for evidentiary and undercover officer safety.

He was involved in digital surveillance techniques to assist the agency’s Major Crimes Unit with solicitation to commit homicide investigations, as well as threats to public officials.

He also worked extensively with the agency’s federal partners by assisting task forces with undercover and digital investigations.

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco characterized Cockerill as a good detective and an overall great person, during the special ceremony.

“Roger’s definitely one of our gems,” Nocco said, describing the longtime detective as “a man amongst men.”

The sheriff said whenever he saw Cockerill at a crime scene, he made it a point to walk up and talk to him.

“You just want to be around him,” Nocco said.

Cockerill remained calm in high-stress situations, Nocco said, explaining, “he’s seen it, been there, and done that.”

Nocco also praised Cockerill’s fitness.

The 6-foot-6 detective frequently passed the agency’s physical assessment test (PAT), with 3 minutes or 3 minutes or more to spare, Nocco said.

“When somebody would say, ‘I can’t believe we’ve got to do that PAT test,’ I’m like, ‘Look at Roger, he’s out there kicking all your butts.’,” the sheriff said.

Nocco said Cockerill’s achievement is unique.

“I don’t think in any of our lives again, we’re going to meet or see another individual that met this accomplishment — 50 years in law enforcement. There are many things in life that repeat itself, I don’t think this will ever.”

Besides honoring the law enforcement officer for his service, speakers also poked some fun at the detective.

Known for his love of animals — even squirrels and raccoons — Nocco teasingly referred to Cockerill as “Noah.”

But that wasn’t his only nickname.

He was also known as “Big Bird,” which stuck from his days in Suffolk County.

Retired Suffolk County Police Department officer Al DeMeo explained how that came to be.

It was sometime after Easter in the early 1970s, and DeMeo and Cockerill were both working in the warrant unit, in the basement of the Third Precinct, DeMeo recalled.

Notified that a fresh warrant had come in, Cockerill arrived at the the office somewhat disheveled, hair still wet from a shower and comb in his teeth, DeMeo said.

What caught everyone’s attention though, was the way that Cockerill was dressed, DeMeo said.

He was wearing all yellow — from his pants and sport jacket, to his dress shirt and tie.

“I said, ‘You look just like Big Bird,’” DeMeo said, referring to the famed Sesame Street character.

“Well, it’s 50 years later, and Roger’s still affectionately known as Big Bird — and always will be.”

Pasco Sheriff Cpt. Bill Davis also shared fond memories of working 12 years alongside Cockerill in the agency’s Narcotics Unit.

Both being from the same area of southeast New York, they clicked right away, Davis said.

“I never had so much fun going to the job (with Cockerill). I looked forward going to the job,” Davis said. He also noted that Cockerill kept a Sesame Street Big Bird toy figure in his patrol car.

He also said Cockerill was particular about his coffee — it had to be “light and sweet” — and that with the detective, “nothing started until we had coffee.”

When Cockerill was summoned to speak at the ceremony, he received a standing ovation and was serenaded with bagpipes.

In true “old school” fashion, Cockerill kept his comments brief, mainly showing his appreciation to his bosses and co-workers.

“I love the job. I love everybody,” Cockerill said.

He did shed some light, though, on what it takes to maintain a lengthy career in law enforcement.

“You’ve just got to keep going, work hard, be honest, treat everybody equally,” he said.

He also added: “If someone gets up in your face and is nasty, best thing to do is to turn around and walk away. That’ll annoy ‘em more than fighting with ‘em.”

He also offered some advice to the group of freshly sworn-in Pasco Sheriff’s deputies:

“When you snap that pistola on, you’re not going to work — you’re going to the job. Remember that. And, stick together. Always stick together.”

Cockerill may be retired now, but he won’t be venturing too far from the sheriff’s office.

He plans to join the agency as a volunteer.

Pasco Sheriff’s Office Det. Roger Cockerill’s 50 years in law enforcement:

  • Began service with Suffolk County Police Dept. (NY): Feb. 6, 1967; Patrolman
  • Retired from Suffolk County Police Dept. (NY): Feb. 23, 1987; Detective
  • Began Service with Pasco Sheriff’s Office: April 24, 1989; Patrol Deputy
  • Retired from Pasco Sheriff’s Office: December, 2019; Detective

Published January 01, 2020

Law seeks to reduce distracted driving

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For now, drivers caught using a hand-held phone while driving through an active construction or school zone, will be issued a warning.

But, at the beginning of the New Year, a citation can be issued with a $164 fine and three points against a driver’s license for the first offense.

The new restriction was included in a law that addressed texting while driving, passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The texting portion of the law took effect July 1. It makes texting while driving a primary offense, and also applies to emailing and browsing on a phone.

Deputy Marc Lane, of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, keeps an eye out for motorists who may be talking on their phones while in an active construction zone on State Road 54. Florida has a new state law, which took effect Oct. 1, that prohibits talking on a hand-held device while driving through active school or construction zones. (Brian Fernandes)

Before July 1, driving while texting was deemed as a secondary offense, meaning that a driver couldn’t be pulled over for it, but could be cited for it, if the driver had been stopped for another offense.

The portion of the law relating to talking on hand-held devices in active construction or school zones took effect on Oct. 1, with a three-month grace period — meaning only warnings will be issued initially.

“The common theme is we want you paying attention to your driving, not your phone,” said Sgt. Dan Fenstemacher, of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

“With everything that’s going on in vehicles, distracted driving is a major problem,” he said.

Tragic consequences can occur when drivers are distracted, said Fenstemacher, who is part of Sheriff’s Office’s Highway Interdiction Team division.

“Bad things can happen when you’re not watching where you’re going. You’re going off the road, you might hit a bicyclist, hit a kid on the sidewalk [or] go head on into a vehicle. We’re not out there to just write tickets, but we want people to drive safe,” he said.

Vehicular accidents due to “electronic communication devices” last year alone resulted in 48 crashes and two fatalities in Pasco County, according to statistics from the Florida Highway Patrol.

Fenstemacher’s team is assigned to patrol main corridors such as State Roads 52, 54 and 56.

Recently, Deputy Marc Lane of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office observed motorists who may have been talking on their phone while driving. He was parked in an unmarked SUV, in a median near an active construction zone. Within about 30 minutes, he pulled over five motorists for speeding or using hand-held devices in the zone and issued them warnings.

The county’s sheriff’s office is working along with the Florida Highway Patrol and local police departments to enforce the new measure.

“Certainly we work collaboratively to try and cut down [on accidents],” Fenstemacher said.

Driving in school zones and construction zones while talking on a hand-held phone is prohibited only when those premises are active with people present.

A school zone is considered to be operational when there are speed limit signs with flashing lights, cross guards, and children crossing the street.

For construction zones, orange, diamond-shaped signs and cones along the road, are signals that work is being done in that area.

It is permissible to use a Bluetooth or an earplug in only one ear in restricted zones, as long as a device is not in the motorist’s hand.

This also can apply to a phone or a tablet.

If a vehicle is not in motion, whether at a stoplight or in congested traffic, texting is not considered an infraction, the Fenstemacher noted.

Signs that a driver is texting on the road may include delayed reaction time, slowing down below the speed limit, swerving outside of a designated lane or periodically taking eyes off the road to look downward, he said.

Published October 23, 2019

Dade City set for fall fun

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The autumn season will soon be ushered in with the St. Joe Fall Festival, which will feature a wide range of vendors, diverse food selections and fun activities for kids.

At the St. Joe Fall Festival, kids will be able to show their creative skills with pumpkin painting. This will be one of many activities at the fall event on Oct. 5.
(File)

The Oct. 5 event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 32145 St. Joe Road in Dade City.

Hungry patrons can choose from a diverse selection of foods ranging from barbecue ribs, and Cajun and Polish cuisines, as well as catering by Chick-fil-A.

Tickets, which sell for $1, can be used to purchase adult beverages — for those who are old enough — and also can be used toward a gift basket drawing.

There will be picnic tables where people can relax, enjoy live performances and eat.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office will present a canine demonstration.

And, there will be plenty for the youth to do, with bounce houses, face and pumpkin painting, obstacle courses and touch-a-tractor.

A $15 wristband gives kids unlimited access to activities.

Parking is free and the event is pet-friendly.

Proceeds will go toward the upkeep of the church.

For additional information, please call Larry Plunkett at (813) 431-8569.

What: St. Joe Fall Festival

Where: Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 32145 St. Joe Road in Dade City

When: Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cost: Free

Details: Patrons can check out items offered by various vendors and sample a diversity of ethnic foods. Activities will be offered for youths and there will be live music.

Info: Call Larry Plunkett at (813) 431-8569

Published October 2, 2019

Chaplain lifts spirits at Pasco Sheriff’s Office 

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Chaplain Brian Brown — with his open-door policy — is a confidant for staff members at the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

He’s one of a dozen chaplains assigned across the department’s three districts who counsel law enforcement officials.

In addition to providing direct services, Brown also oversees the agency’s chaplains.

Chaplain Brian Brown has been a spiritual guide for those in the Pasco Sheriff’s Office for nearly a decade. He provides a shoulder to lean on — helping agency staff to perform their duties to the best of their ability. (Brian Fernandes)

“We minister to agency personnel and their immediate family,” said Brown, who has served in this role since 2011.

Brown’s work in ministry began more than two decades ago, and has taken him to Pinellas, Osceola and Seminole counties.

In the late 1990s, the Pinellas Park native was able to merge his faith with law enforcement by becoming a chaplain for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

He and his wife moved to Pasco County in 2005 and successfully began their own church in Trinity the following year.

Over time, his focus began to shift toward serving the local sheriff’s office, he recalled.

“What I began to see was a strong need to bring faith and stability to the members of the agency,” the chaplain said.

He recalled hearing then-Pasco County Sheriff Bob White discuss, on television, the need for more deputies in the Holiday region.

Brown decided he wanted to guide deputies in dealing with the tension of their job, so they could engage well with citizens.

He recognizes the trauma and mental stress that agency members can experience frequently.

“How does that member process that? Where do they file that away inside of their brain?” Brown said.

To better understand their struggles, the chaplain rides along with deputies in their patrol cars, accompanying them on the field.

It gives officers the chance to open up about traumatic experiences or other difficulties.

Chaplains provide Critical Incident Stress Management training to help deputies deal with such issues.

During read-offs, deputies gather together throughout the day to discuss their agendas. At these events, Brown is present to offer prayer and words of encouragement before they head out on assignment.

Even agency officials who are not deputies receive the chaplain’s support.

In his position, Brown doesn’t typically interact with offenders. That’s the role of the detention chaplain, he said.

However, occasions arise at times at the scene of an incident, where he will try to help de-escalate a situation.

He describes the chaplain’s service as a “ministry of presence” – being readily available when a need arises.

This ministry is not about preaching; it’s about being a friend, Brown said.

When deputies want to have Bible discussions, he said, he is more than willing to engage.

He also has been asked by agency members to conduct personal functions, such as weddings, funerals, baby dedications and house blessings.

Brown met with Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco and other officials in 2015 to find a way to extend support to agency members’ families.

The chaplain reasoned: “If the family unit at home is struggling, then that deputy is coming to work, or that agency member is coming to work and they’re not on their A-game. How do we build a bridge from the home to the agency and the agency to the home?”

In response, the law enforcement agency created the Family Support Network. The network brings together the spouses and kids of agency members, to share their challenges with one another and empathize.

Those opportunities occur with programs such as Coffee and Conversation, and the Annual Spouse Academy.

These programs allow spouses to ask questions, address concerns, and listen to guest speakers who provide advice on trauma, finances and how to cope with having a loved one working in law enforcement.

There are also programs for kids, such as the Summer Blast camp, to help kids feel confident about having a parent in the agency.

“There was a day when there was a pride inside of you to say, ‘My daddy’s in law enforcement’ or ‘My mom is in law enforcement.’ Unfortunately today, that’s not always the case,” Brown said.

Brown’s schedule includes administrative work, connecting with local businesses, and fundraising — but he always makes time to speak personally with those family members.

The chaplain credits Sheriff Nocco for unifying the agency as a cohesive team.

As a unifier himself, Brown said he relishes in the more fun aspects of his work.

“For me, personally, it is an honor to get to invest in the lives of our members,” he said. “Sometimes you just need somebody to hang with you and encourage you — make you smile, laugh [and] make your side hurt a little bit.”

Published September 04, 2019

These kits can help save lives

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A safety measure has been added to Pasco County high schools that’s aimed to help save lives during a mass casualty or active shooter situation.

The schools now have bleed control kits — designed to help prevent victims from bleeding out before emergency responders arrive.

Pasco County Schools and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office are participating in the ‘Stop the Bleed’ campaign, a national initiative that aims to train and empower civilians to act swiftly and effectively in trauma situations, such as active shooter incidents. As part of the campaign, the sheriff’s office and emergency personnel trained school nurses to use bleed control kits and other measures in initial trauma management. (Courtesy of Pasco Sheriff’s Office)

The kits contain items such as tourniquets, blood-clotting dressings and casualty extraction litter, CPR mask, disposable gloves, trauma shears and a bleeding control instruction card. The kits are assembled using military grade components and based on the standards established by the American College of Surgeons.

The vacuum-sealed kits are stocked in a LIFE Station, or a surface-mounted storage cabinet strategically located throughout schools, similar to AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) and fire extinguisher cabinets.

Pasco County Schools, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, Pasco Tax Collector’s Office and Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point recently partnered on a fundraising drive to bring LIFE Stations and bleed kits to each public high school and technical school countywide.

Enough donations were raised for each school to receive one LIFE Station, which holds up to five kits, according to the sheriff’s office.

The initial cost for stations and kits was $250,000. Each kit costs approximately $600 to $700.

The school district and sheriff’s office are now requesting donations to purchase more kits for the county’s 83 middle and elementary schools. Efforts are also being made to bring them to places of worship and other public spaces.

Someone can die from bleeding out in 30 seconds to 45 seconds, so the effort is aimed at saving lives, Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said, during an Aug. 13 media conference on the bleed kits initiative.

The bleed kits go beyond the scope of a shooting or other violent attack, the sheriff said.

Pasco County Schools’ high schools and technical schools have been stocked with bleed control kits to help stem the flow of blood in urgent situations. The kits are housed in a LIFE Station container, or a surface-mounted storage cabinet similar to AEDs and fire extinguishers. Shown here is a LIFE Station that sits inside the nurse’s office at Land O’ Lakes High School. (Courtesy of Pasco Schools)

“It’s not just about active shooters,” Nocco said. “It could be about a traffic crash. It could be somebody fell, and it hurt them and it cut them badly. Those are the types of things that we want to make sure we get out there, that this isn’t just because of that worst-case scenario, this could be about some injury that occurred any day.”

“Just having one (station) in each facility may not be enough, you may need multiple ones,” he said.

Before the school year began, the sheriff’s office and emergency personnel trained school nurses to use the kits and other life-saving measures in initial trauma management. The training was part of a broader “Stop the Bleed” national initiative, which aims to train and empower civilians to act swiftly and effectively in trauma situations, such as active shooter incidents.

Pasco School District nurses will be training other school employees how to use the kits, officials say.

Meanwhile, the sheriff’s office also is creating a bleed kit instruction video for students.

“It’s like teaching a child to call 911. Now, we’re going to teach them to stop the bleed,” Nocco said.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning said the LIFE Stations and bleed kits create “another layer of protection in the horrible event of something going on in our schools.”

Browning emphasized the urgency in such situations: “It’s a matter of seconds before an individual could bleed out, and we want to make sure that we have the tools there to help prevent loss of life.”

Since the Parkland school shooting claimed the lives of 17 students and faculty members in February 2018, the Pasco school district has bolstered its safety protocols through hiring armed safety guards, requiring stricter identification protocols, and installing more secure door locks, among other procedures.

“We work hard in keeping all of our children safe in this district,” Browning said. “I will say, we have been in a leader in the state where other districts have looked at us and said, ‘We want to do it very similar to the way you’re doing it.’”

He added, “Parents are just naturally concerned about the safety of their kids when we put them on our buses in the morning and get them to our schools, and they expect them to be safe, and I expect our kids to be safe.”

For more information, visit PascoSheriffCharities.org/stop-the-bleeding-2/.

Published August 21, 2019

Pasco Sheriff’s Office boosts online crime reporting

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Reporting a variety of crimes is getting easier for Pasco County residents through a new online reporting tool being used by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office recently upgraded the capabilities of its citizen online police reporting system to accept reports on a these types of incidents:

  • Petit theft (less than $300)
  • Petit theft bicycle (less than $300)
  • Grand theft bicycle ($300 or more)
  • Lost property
  • Littering/illegal dumping
  • Harassing phone calls
  • Phone scam (without monetary loss)

The improved system will allow citizens to generate reports for these types of crimes at their own convenience, without having to wait for a deputy to arrive on scene.

Once they are reported, the incidents are investigated, and the sheriff’s office will determine the appropriate action to take and will execute it.

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office recently expanded the capabilities of its online reporting system, which will allow citizens to self-report a variety of incidents, such as lost property or criminal mischief. Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco stands at the podium in front of desk office supervisor Michael Toczylowski. (Kevin Weiss)

Reports can be filed online at PascoSheriff.com.

To file a report, citizens will be required to list the incident type and provide other relevant information, such as a brief description of what happened, along with any photos or videos that can be used to help solve a case.

Online reports will be reviewed during regular business hours.

All cases filed using the online police reporting system will be reviewed. Upon review, the sheriff’s office may reach out if further investigation is needed.

Citizens will receive a confirmation number upon completion of a report and will be notified if their case has been approved or rejected. If approved, citizens will be emailed a permanent case number.

“This is better for our citizens,” Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said. “There’s a lot of resources, a lot of things that go on, where (citizens) just need a case number, they just want a report number, but at the same time for our deputies, it saves us time and energy.”

Nocco said citizens still have the option to request deputies to respond on-scene, to those various types of incidents, instead of using the online reporting.

“No matter what, if you want a deputy to respond, we will send somebody out there accordingly,” Nocco said.

The sheriff also pointed out the online system is more efficient for the law enforcement agency in several instances — such as dealing with multiple department stores who consistently report lost or stolen property following routine inventory checks.

Those calls represent “a lot of work and a lot of resources,” Nocco said.

The expanded online reporting capabilities makes it more convenient for citizens who may not be interested in waiting for a deputy to arrive when they want to report a property crime, said Pasco Sheriff desk office supervisor Michael Toczylowski, who’s unit will handle the online caseloads.

“It’s great for the citizen where they don’t have to sit and wait for a deputy,” Toczylowski said, “because on a Friday or Saturday night when it’s busy, everybody’s coming home from work, there’s all sorts of incidents being reported, things are prioritized where (dispatchers) are going to send a deputy to a domestic disturbance first before coming to your house because somebody threw a rock at your car and broke a window.”

While the new system may improve convenience and efficiency, it should not be used when reporting violent crimes or when a suspect may still be at the scene of the crime, officials said.

Officials also urge residents to call 911 to report emergencies or life-threatening situations.

Published July 10, 2019

Pasco Sheriff launches unit to help mentally ill

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The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office is launching a new unit aimed to better serve the needs of people facing significant mental health issues.

The new unit — called the Mental Health and Threat Assessment Team (MHTAT) — will feature six deputies, two caseworkers, a clinical social worker, a sergeant and a lieutenant, who will collaborate with local behavioral health providers to provide tailored, long-term programs for citizens in need.

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office is launching a new unit to better serve the needs of local citizens facing significant mental health issues. The Mental Health and Threat Assessment Team (MHTAT) will collaborate with local behavioral health partners to provide long-term care and criminal diversion to the county’s Baker Act repeats. (File)

The team’s primary task is to keep tabs on the county’s Baker Act repeats — through a proactive approach that includes frequent visitations, welfare checks, expedited behavioral health resources and criminal justice diversion programs.

An individual struggling with addiction may be referred to outpatient substance abuse treatment, for instance. Or, someone undergoing financial struggles may be referred to Pasco County Human Services and the county’s homeless coalition.

The unit will have partnerships with BayCare Behavioral Health, Chrysalis Health, Novus Medical Detox Center, HCA Florida Hospitals, AdventHealth and others, “working towards a common goal in our community,” Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said.

The program ultimately will put the agency “ahead of the curve” in crime prevention, the sheriff said.

“We see mental health and substance abuse are the two drivers of criminal justice issues in our county. That’s why we’re creating this unit,” Nocco said.

It’s also about crisis mitigation, said Lt. Toni Roach, who will head up the MHTAT unit.

“Everybody has a baseline, and when they start to dip below that baseline we can provide some intervention strategies, connect them with a case manager or whatever other behavioral health resources are in the community that could help them stabilize,” Roach said.

The unit is expected to be up and running by October. It will cost roughly $1.5 million annually.

About 11 percent of the sheriff’s calls for service in 2018 were mental-health related.

That included roughly 3,400 Baker Act reports and more than 2,100 calls involving suicides or suicide attempts.

Of those reports, 503 individuals had multiple interactions with the agency, including some who’ve been Baker Acted as many as four or five times, Nocco said.

The MHTAT will be concentrating on the population who have had multiple interactions with the county, Nocco said. The unit will help divert those people from having to call 911 and thereby free patrol deputies to respond more quickly to urgent or violent calls.

As an example, the sheriff pointed out that, last year alone, one individual with a history of mental illness called county dispatch 124 times.

But, through a personal visit from the sheriff’s office back in May, those calls have stopped, the sheriff said.  “A lot of times they just need to talk to somebody. They just need somebody to help them out.”

“It’s all about connection,” added Roach. “Interacting with anybody is just that communication piece, being able to sit down with somebody and have a conversation with people, to listen to what’s going on, what are their concerns, what are their barriers.”

And, it’s those types of soft skills that will be required for those selected to the 11-person unit.

“It takes a special person to want to be in this unit,” Nocco said. “You want somebody that has that compassion and care. Somebody who says, ‘I’m not just going to be here for an hour, I might be here two to three hours working with somebody.’”

In recent years, the sheriff’s office has placed an emphasis on training law enforcement personnel to respond better to people who are mentally ill.

The office has an eight-hour foundational course in mental health first aid and a 40-hour Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) program held quarterly in Shady Hills. About 50 percent of the agency’s patrol deputies are CIT certified.

Published July 03, 2019