Fall 2018

November 01, 2018

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, it is important as a community to reflect on things for which we are thankful. I am drafting this letter in the midst of an emotionally demanding week for the agency. Our deputies continue to recover from the recent officer-involved shooting, School Resource Officers are diligently working to ensure their students feel safe on campus, and we are all focused on preparing the community for the crimes of opportunity we often see during the busy holiday season. In spite of what seems like many hurdles, I am thankful for the partnerships we have that continue to develop and support new programs to overcome these obstacles and achieve our vision of a safer community.

I frequently circle back to the Marine Corps mantra "Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome" when faced with complex situations, and encourage my staff to use this model when developing solutions to problems we face as a community. I most recently addressed you in regards to a concern over rising assault numbers in Charlotte County. At the beginning of October, our grant-funded Domestic Violence Unit launched to reduce the prevalence of violence both in and out of domestic situations. By taking a more holistic approach and working with our community partners to provide services to both offenders and victims, we hope to drastically reduce the number of domestic-related incidents in our community.

In light of recent threats to our school campuses, we recognize that parents in our community are all asking the same question; “What can I do to keep my child safe?” Many of our own deputies are also parents, and we struggle with the same concerns when waving goodbye at the bus stop or drop off. Ahead of this year's change in legislation, CCSO has had a School Resource Officer assigned to each school in the County. Our deputies inside the schools have attended advanced education training pertaining to working in the school environment. Our Juvenile Unit works closely with the Charlotte County Public School's Security and deputies assigned to districts that contain a school are familiar with the campus layout and campus-specific hazard plans. Detectives are assigned to investigate threats made to the security of our schools, and no threat is ever taken lightly.

As the weather begins to cool, we welcome home our seasonal residents and prepare for the busier months in our community. Holiday crime prevention messaging will begin on our social media channels and at neighborhood watch meetings. I have also launched a Speaker Series, providing residents the opportunity to meet their Sheriff's Office personnel, learn about what is happening in their community, and ask questions. The first presentation in the series, covering identity theft and scams, is scheduled for November 20th at the mid-county library.

Looking ahead to the holidays, agency members are preparing for our annual Shop with a Cop event, community service commitments, and developing programs to address the needs of our growing community. I am thankful for the members of the Sheriff's Office family who infuse our core values of Integrity, Professionalism, and Trust into their everyday life, both on- and off-duty. 

 I am also thankful to serve as your Sheriff, and look forward to continuing to partner together to make Charlotte County a safe and enjoyable place to live, work, and play.

Have a happy and safe holiday season.

Sheriff Prummell

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