The Unit consists of five Victim Advocates, a Technician and a Supervisor. The Victim Advocate Unit’s focus is to ensure the rights of victims are honored. They provide information and support throughout the entire investigative and criminal justice process. Victim Advocates assess the needs of victims and provide support from the onset of victimization. They also maintain a current listing of community resources to include referrals for counseling, legal aid, emergency food and shelter, safe housing and support groups. Unit members are on call 24 hours a day.
If you are reporting an EMERGENCY or a CRIME in progress, DIAL 911.
The Florida Abuse Hotline will accept a report when there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child who can be located in Florida, or is temporarily out of the state but expected to return in the immediate future, has been harmed or is believed to be threatened with harm from a person responsible for the care of the child.
If you are reporting an EMERGENCY or a CRIME in progress, DIAL 911.
Use this web tip form to provide information regarding crimes, criminals and/or suspicious activity.
If you choose not to provide your name and contact information, you may still inquire and/or provide additional information
on the tip you provided by logging in with the PIN provided to you during the tip submission process.
Please note: This tip system IS NOT monitored 24 hours a day and is not for emergencies.
Hurricane season is officially here. Although the county has focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial to prepare for other disasters. The Pasco Sheriff’s Office encourages citizens to plan ahead for hurricane season. Preparing today can save lives and protect your property during a storm.
A crucial first step is to make sure you have a hurricane supply kit. Your kit should include water, non-perishable food, batteries, toiletries, first-aid supplies, medications, cash and fuel. It is important to remember pet supplies, as well. It is recommended to stock enough food and water to last three days per person.
The Pasco Sheriff’s Office suggests obtaining sandbags in advance to prepare your home for hurricanes. Waiting until the storm is here can mean that supplies might be low in stock. If you don’t have storm shutters, consider purchasing plywood to fabricate shutters for your windows. Ensure outdoor items are properly secured or stowed away when a storm is in the forecast. Keeping trees trimmed and disposing of fallen limbs and other yard debris is a good idea before and during hurricane season. Debris and outdoor furniture can become projectiles during a storm, so it is important to secure these items before a storm arrives. It is also important to properly clean your gutters as part of hurricane preparations.
If an evacuation order is issued for your area, please follow it. If you plan to evacuate, keep in mind that community shelters may be limited on space and should only be used as a last resort. Before evacuating make sure to have copies of important papers, including your driver’s license and insurance policies. Let friends and family know where you are going and remember to lock your windows and doors before leaving.
If you choose to shelter in place, plan ahead. Designate a safe room, such as a windowless closet or bathroom on the lower floor of your home. Fill containers with water, to give yourself an alternative in case water sources become contaminated during the storm. Additionally, if flooding occurs in your home, turn the power off at the main breaker to prevent further damage and harm. In the event of a power loss, it’s critical to know what medical equipment will become unusable and make a plan for its absence.
Although most dangers from a hurricane are apparent, such as wind damage or storm surge, there are additional risks that are less apparent. For example, drive carefully and avoid flooded roads.
Staying informed during a storm will help you and your family stay safe. The National Hurricane Center forecasts are an accurate source of information along with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office Facebook and Twitter accounts. Bear in mind that the areas effected will extend beyond the center of the storm. The Pasco Sheriff’s Office is here for our community, and we encourage citizens to prepare well in advance for hurricane season.
With COVID-19 at the top of everyone’s mind, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office wants to ensure citizens have resources with up-to-date information, as well as some ways citizens can protect themselves and others.
For the latest information about COVID-19, please visit the U.S. Center for Disease Control’s website at CDC.gov. If you suspect you have contracted COVID-19, call your doctor before visiting an office or testing site. They will provide you with details on testing information and will help mitigate your risk of spreading the virus.
With COVID-19 at the top of everyone’s mind, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office wants to ensure citizens have resources with up-to-date information, as well as some ways citizens can protect themselves and others.
For the latest information about COVID-19, please visit the U.S. Center for Disease Control’s website at CDC.gov. If you suspect you have contracted COVID-19, call your doctor before visiting an office or testing site. They will provide you with details on testing information and will help mitigate your risk of spreading the virus.
Even if you do not have symptoms of COVID-19, others may still be at risk. Practicing social distancing by staying at least six feet away from others is a good way to lower the risk of spreading or contracting COVID-19. Washing your hands frequently with soap and water or using hand sanitizer consisting of at least 60% alcohol, as well as disinfecting surfaces frequently, are also great ways to reduce the risk to yourself and others.
Unfortunately, there are some criminals who will try to take advantage of those seeking information about COVID-19. Cybercriminals are using citizen concerns to prey on vulnerable citizens by launching phishing attacks or producing false ads. The best way to combat against these scams and get the most accurate information on the coronavirus is to visit credible websites, such as the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC.gov) and the World Health Organization. These sites will never request an email address to access information.
Scammers are also attempting to access citizen’s information through phone calls. As always, be aware of unsolicited phone calls and emails offering unprompted information for your private information in return. If you are unfamiliar with the source, don’t click on any links or attachments sent through emails. Additionally, be cautious when clicking on social media ads. Scammers create ads with false information on coronavirus cures and conspiracies.
Additionally, the Pasco Sheriff’s Charities is now accepting monetary donations for two of Pasco County’s most at-risk populations: children and the elderly. While schools are closed, students that rely on free or reduced meals may be left without an alternate source of food. Many seniors in our community also need the assistance of others for meals and medical expenses. We're doing our part to help our community members. If you’d like to help, visit PascoSheriffCharities.org/donation .
Together, we will get through this pandemic by listening to accurate information, safeguarding ourselves from those looking to take advantage of others and helping out the greater community. With COVID-19 at the top of everyone’s mind, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office wants to ensure citizens have resources with up-to-date information, as well as some ways citizens can protect themselves and others.
January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. There will be various events this month hosted by different organizations to raise awareness and assist frontline groups combating human trafficking. The Pasco Sheriff’s Office will again be hosting the Light Up the Night event at 6 p.m., on Saturday, February 1, at the Shops at Wiregrass mall in Wesley Chapel. We will highlight amazing organizations, raise awareness, and stand together united in this cause.
Human trafficking is known as "modern day slavery." The perpetrators of this crime find victims who are vulnerable and use force or fraud to exploit them. The International Labor Organization estimates that there are 40.3 million victims of human trafficking throughout the world, who are exploited to the amount of $150 billion, which certainly makes this a global epidemic. The Polaris Project has identified many forms of human trafficking and the three forms that are the most identifiable and investigated here in the United States includes labor trafficking, sex trafficking, and involuntary servitude. We know these three forms are present here in the Tampa Bay area.
We know these three forms are present here in the Tampa Bay area.The Pasco Sheriff's Office, in partnership with key stakeholders in our community, has been working diligently over the years to end human trafficking in Pasco County. Some of the methods and partnerships we have utilized have included:
As we move into 2020, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office will remain committed to our mission to end human trafficking in our community. Reducing the demand for human trafficking, rescuing the victims, and arresting the traffickers and buyers remains one of our community's top priorities.
The start of the 2019-20 school year in Pasco County is August 12 and I urge parents and their children to familiarize themselves with important school safety information provided by the Pasco Sheriff’s Office.
Parents and guardians should understand that student and staff safety is the top priority for our agency on our school campuses. It bears repeating that no weapons, illegal drugs, and tobacco products are allowed on any Pasco school campus. This includes vaping products. Unfortunately, there are too many students arrested for possession violations every year for all of these products.
Making direct or indirect threats to commit acts of violence on any school campus, whether joking or not, is illegal in Florida. It is a felony to threaten any gun violence at a Florida school. The law previously only mentioned threats by bombing, but now any such threat is considered serious and no leniency is given for students who are “only joking.” We must consider any such threat, verbal or written, as serious and we will and have arrested any student making such threats.
Last year, the state Legislature amended the law, (FS 836.10) Written Threats to Kill, making it a felony to convey threats of gun violence or acts of terrorism against any person in writing or through any electronic record, which includes posts to social media. Any person who makes, posts, or transmits a threat in a writing or other record, including an electronic record, to conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism, in any manner that would allow another person to view the threat commits a felony of the second degree.
In a partnership with the Pasco County School Board, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office places law enforcement deputies on middle and high school campuses through the school resource officer (SRO) program. The primary role of the SRO is the safety and security of our students and faculty. These full-time deputies investigate any crimes committed on campus and any allegations of child abuse off-campus. SROs ensure that our school grounds are safe during the school day and at school events. Every parent should get to know their child’s school resource officer and turn to that individual for any questions about their child’s safety on campus. Parents should encourage their children to report any suspicious behavior or circumstances to their SRO, school safety guard, or a school official immediately.
There are several ways for students or a parent to report concerning or suspicious activity and you can do so anonymously. This includes a new smart phone application funded by the Florida state legislature called FortifyFL, which is available on both the Apple and Google phone app stores. You can also submit a tip to the Pasco Sheriff’s Office by visiting our website at PascoSheriff.com and clicking on the Submit a Tip link.
The official platform for the most up-to-date and accurate information about any major incidents or safety concerns about a school, please follow us at Facebook.com/PascoSheriff.
June 1 marks the official start of the hurricane season in the United States. Last year, Pasco County again dodged a bullet when Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida Panhandle, which was recently upgraded to a Level 5 hurricane due to its destructive power. This reminds us that it can happen here and we all need to be prepared as much as possible when the unthinkable happens. It is that time of year for all of us to go over our hurricane and disaster preparedness before it is too late.
Visit FloridaDisaster.org or Pascocountyfl.net/365/Emergency-Management for more information on evacuation routes and emergency preparedness.
If you would like to donate or have any questions about Feeding Pasco’s Kids, please contact the Sheriff’s Community Relations Office at 1-727-844-7759, Monday – Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
I invite all citizens to attend the 2017 Pasco Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Service, scheduled at 10 a.m., Friday, May 5,
on the north lawn of the Historic Courthouse, located at 37918 Meridian Avenue in Dade City.
The memorial honors eight officers killed in the line of duty in Pasco County, from 1909 with Deputy Sheriff Shelly Nicks
to 2011 when Hernando County Deputy Sheriff John Mecklenburg was killed in Pasco County while pursuing a suspect on U.S. Highway 41.
The following officers will be remembered and family members from each of the lost officers have also been invited to attend the memorial:
Deputy John Mecklenburg/Hernando County Sheriff’s Office
End of Watch: July 3, 2011: Deputy Mecklenburg was killed after his patrol car sped out of control on U.S. Highway 41 during a vehicle pursuit.
Lieutenant Charles Bo Harrison/Pasco Sheriff’s Office
End of Watch: Sunday, June 1, 2003: Lieutenant “Bo” Harrison, 56, was shot and killed while on surveillance at about 2 a.m. near a nightclub on U.S. Route 301 in Lacoochee.
Trooper James Bradford-Jean Crooks/Florida Highway Patrol
End of Watch: Tuesday, May 19, 1998: Trooper “Brad” Crooks, 23, was shot and killed while in a chase of a suspect who had just killed two Tampa detectives, Randy Bell and Ricky Childers.
Trooper Crooks was attempting to stop the suspect who had car-jacked another vehicle when he was shot.
Deputy Sheriff John Herbert McCabe/Pasco Sheriff’s Office
End of Watch: Saturday, June 26, 1948: Deputy “Bert” McCabe, 24, died from injuries sustained in an on-duty vehicle crash on U.S.
41 in Drexel/Land O’ Lakes in response to a call about some stolen orange grove heaters.
Deputy William Henry O’Berry/Pasco Sheriff’s Office
End of Watch: Friday, January 1, 1926: Deputy Henry O’ Berry, 36, was shot and killed while investigating a Pasco County felony.
The suspect resisted arrest as Deputy O’ Berry placed one handcuff on the suspect’s wrist.
The suspect fled behind a turpentine still facility as the deputy pursued. Behind the building, the suspect shot Deputy O’ Berry in the neck.
Constable Arthur Fleece Crenshaw/Pasco County Constable
Prohibition Agent John Van Waters U.S. Department of Justice – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives
End of Watch: Wednesday, October 4, 1922: Pasco Constable Arthur “Fleece” Crenshaw, 31, of Trilby, and Federal Prohibition Agent John Van Waters, 46,
of Dade City were shot and killed during an ambush as they returned from an investigation northeast of Dade City.
Deputy Sheldon S. Nicks/Pasco Sheriff’s Office
End of Watch: Saturday, May 8, 1909
Deputy Sheriff Shelly Nicks, 23, was shot and killed while assisting his father, the Fivay Town Marshal, as they served a warrant.
The suspect pulled out a handgun and pointed it at Marshal Nicks. Deputy Nicks jumped in front of the gun as the suspect fired a round.
The bullet instantly killed Deputy Nicks as it passed through him and then lodged in his father’s shoulder.
In December of 2020, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office (PSO), in partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Strategies for Policing Innovations (SPI) Initiative and the University of South Florida (USF), implemented an innovative, grant funded focused deterrence (FD) strategy that aims to identify and address adult narcotic prolific offenders (NPOs) and violent prolific offenders (VPOs) that live and operate in Pasco County. Research reveals that FD programs have resulted in significant decreases in violent crime, gun violence, and drug offending, across multiple evaluative studies. This program is designed to reduce recidivism and encourage positive change in narcotic and violent prolific offenders through enhanced support and increased accountability.
Although the PSO currently has an offender strategy, this initiative provides enhancements and new protocols designed to increase prolific offender strategy effectiveness and efficiency. At this time, these enhancements and new protocols will only apply to identified narcotic and violent prolific offenders. Individuals who meet or exceed the NPO and/or VPO scoring threshold will be contacted on a quarterly basis and offered services by a member of the Behavioral Health Intervention Team. During the initial face-to-face visit, the NPO or VPO will be introduced to the program through the following resources:
Thank you for your interest in the Attorney Express Program at the Pasco Sheriff’s Office.
Please complete the Attorney Express application, and return it to Human Resources at the address indicated above. Human Resources is in the Sheriff’s Administration Building located in the Government Center Complex off Little Road.
IMPORTANT: Processing of your application may be delayed if the following information is not included when your application is submitted to us.
Be sure to include with your application:
Again, thank you for your interest in the Attorney Express Access at the Pasco Sheriff’s Office.
Do send the information on official letterhead and have same notarized. Click here to download the Trespass Agreement Notice.
Please read over everything as there are instructions on sending support documents. Some are:
Please mail the original notarized Trespass Agreement Notice, along with a copy of your driver’s license to:
Pasco Sheriff’s Office
8700 Citizen Drive
NPR, FL 34654
If you know what District you live in, please add “ATTN: District #” to the address above. If you don’t know what District you live in, we will determine where to send the letter based on your address.
(NOTE: Your Trespass Agreement will expire one ( 1 ) year to date of receiving the letter. If you continue to need our service, please complete another notarized Trespass Agreement Notice and mail to the address above.)
The Pasco Sheriff’s Citizen Academy is an exciting 3-week program that provides participants with an up-close and detailed look at the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and modern law enforcement. As a member, you will learn about the latest trends and procedures in law enforcement, as well as the duties and responsibilities of the various departments. You will also have the opportunity to participate in tours of various Sheriff’s Office buildings and ride in an agency vehicle with a road patrol deputy. The Pasco Sheriff’s Office Citizen Academy meets two times a week for three hours. The program is 3 weeks long and there is no cost to participate, but seating is limited. For more information about the next academy class or for an application form, please contact Cpl. Alan Wilkett at 1-800-854-2862, extension 3376.
Participants at the Citizen Police Academy will learn various aspects of law enforcement and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office including:
Upon completion of the Citizen Police Academy, participants receive a certificate of graduation and will be eligible to join the Sheriff’s Volunteer Corps.
By clicking submit you certify that the information supplied in this application is true and correct to the best of your knowledge. You grant the Pasco Sheriff's Office permission to verify all information provided in this application and you are aware that a criminal history will be run by the Pasco Sheriff's Office. You understand any false statement or misrepresentation of facts will be grounds for dismissal from the Citizen Police Academy of the Pasco Sheriff's Office.
If you would like to let us know of someone in your family who has special cognitive needs (for example: dementia, autism) please fill out the below form. This will help us better handle our response to any emergency situations that may occur in your area or during a SafetyNet search.
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Purchasing Manager
Pasco Sheriff Office
19415 Central Blvd,
Land O’Lakes, FL 34637
Office: 813.235.6011
Office: 813.235.6016
Email: purchasing@pascosheriff.org