Bureau of Law Enforcement Operations
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Major Justin Ferrara
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Bureau of Support Operations
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Major Elena Vitt
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Current EOC Status
|  Citrus County evacuation map |
In 2007, the Citrus County Emergency Operations Center, specifically the 911 Center, received national accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies' Public Safety Communications Accreditation Program. This achievement is noteworthy because only four other centers in the State of Florida and only 47 centers across the nation have earned this honor.
The EOC 911 Center handles all emergency calls for the county. When you place an emergency call, it goes directly to the EOC 911 Center in Lecanto. Dispatchers route these calls to the appropriate service: law enforcement (Sheriff’s Office) and EMS. Using an enhanced 911 system, communications officers are able to determine the address and phone number of the caller. The Citrus County EOC is one of the few 911 centers across the state that effectively and efficiently houses all services together, ensuring that no time is lost in transferring calls.
The other is always being on the alert for natural disasters, such as hurricanes, flooding, as well as catastrophic events, like a terrorist attack. Any of these situations could mean some or all of Citrus County is without electrical power, water or other basic necessities. During this time period, it becomes critical that people understand how to take care of themselves for at least 7 days and have a family disaster plan already in place.
When the EOC activates due to a pending threat, or a disaster strikes, Citizen Information Lines will be staffed.
When necessary, this line is open 24 hours a day.
The number is 352-249-2775
Special Operations
Dave Vincent
Captain
Contact Information
Bonnie Chesterfield
Executive Secretary/Senior Staff Assistant
352-249-2717
bchesterfield@sherifficitrus.org
The Special Operations Division is a multifaceted division that operates at the highest levels of modern law enforcement. This division is comprised of various units, teams, and departments that collectively provide operational support during critical situations.
Specialty Units
Aviation
The primary mission of the Aviation Unit is to support our deputies on the road. Some of our primary duties are to assist with searches for missing/lost individuals, pursuits of wanted subject(s) and surveillance-type activities. The Air Unit is a force multiplier and can conduct a search in a specific area in a quarter of the time it would take ground units to search on foot. We are also called to assist other law enforcement agencies or fire services throughout the state if the need arises.
Marine
The Marine Unit enforces marine laws and ordinances and provides high-visibility patrol in waterways, investigates boating accidents and related crime scenes, and promotes boating education and safety to the residents and tourists that visit Citrus County waterways. Aside from routine patrol duties for manatee zones and safety violations, the Marine Unit is also tasked with responding to boaters and vessels in distress and searching for missing boaters. The Marine Unit actively works with the U.S. Coast Guard and other State and Federal agencies in the area to enforce safe boating operations.
K9
The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit brings to you one of the best assets available to the community and agency in reference to protecting our citizens and apprehending criminals. Teaming up a deputy with a highly trained German Shepherd or Belgian Malinois has proved to be invaluable. Some of the capabilities of our K9 Unit includes tracking lost or missing persons in need, as well as suicidal subjects and criminal suspects; K9 demonstrations, area searches, article searches, building searches, handler protection and criminal apprehension; narcotics detection consisting of Marijuana, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Heroin and MDMA/Ecstasy. Our K9 Unit is made up of 8 dual purpose K9 teams with the addition of a Volunteer Bloodhound Team who excel in tracking and trailing lost or missing subjects. Our K9 Units are always available and on duty 24/7. Each K9 and handler must complete a challenging 480 hour course together and pass an annual K9 team certification.
Traffic
The Traffic Unit is responsible for Traffic Enforcement and the safety of pedestrian school children, the issuance of parking tickets to those illegally parked in handicapped parking and other locations, and the enforcement of DUI statutes in support of the patrolling function. If you want to report a problem with speeding or any other traffic related issue, call our non-emergency line at 352-726-1121 so we can take appropriate action in response to your complaints.
Specialty Teams
SWAT
S.W.A.T. supports all Citrus County operations by providing rapid response and enhanced capabilities to assist in keeping Citrus County resident’s safe, as well as offering services to other counties when needed. This unit is prepared at any time to deploy personnel and equipment for tactical response, to support warrant service, conduct low visibility counter-surveillance, investigations, and provide enhanced support for special events.
Hazardous Devices Team
All members of the Hazardous Devices Team are assigned to full-time duties in the agency and respond as needed. The CCSO’s Office Hazardous Devices Team responds to a variety of calls including bomb threats, suspicious packages, demolition and disposal of explosives, citizen demonstrations, drug labs, hazardous materials calls, and provides the robot for assistance on SWAT call.
Crisis Negotiations Team
The Crisis Negotiation Team, or CNT, responds to incidents involving barricaded persons, hostage situations or critical incidents. Team members have regular duty assignments and perform this function above their regular duties. The mission of the CNT is to respond to a situation in order to negotiate a safe and reasonable conclusion. “Resolution through communication” is their motto.
DIVE
The CCSO’s DIVE team, also known as the Underwater Recovery Team is one of the specialized units within the Special Operations Division. Citrus County is beautifully situation on the west coast of the state and has numerous rivers, lakes, and ponds, as well as numerous other man-made bodies of water within its jurisdiction. The mission of our DIVE team is the recovery of drowning victims, evidence, or anything else which would require entry into one of these bodies of water.
Sheriff’s Posse
The Posse Unit is a valuable asset to the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office. These volunteers participate in various Citrus County functions such as assisting local and state agencies in the upholding laws; search and rescue missions, representation at city events, and participate in various training opportunities in an effort to enhance their skills and abilities. Posse riders and their horses welcome the opportunity to represent the Sheriff’s Office whenever possible. They take time to answer questions regarding the Posse and most especially, their horses. Horses must be calm and patient, allowing strangers and especially small children, to interact with them while working. Members of this unit are volunteers who own their own horses, and they use their own equipment to care for and transport the animals when needed.
Mobile Response Team
Our Mobile Response Team is a collaborative effort between the various specialty teams, units, and divisions of CCSO. They respond together in a caring and compassionate way to those in crisis or in need of emergency or non-emergency health services anywhere in Citrus County. The intent is to connect individuals with the appropriate services and avoid unnecessary arrest or incarceration.
SMART
The Sheriff's Mutual Aid Response Team (S.M.A.R.T) is a specialized team deployed to respond to emergency law enforcement activities, search and rescue missions, evidence searches, and requests for mutual aid. The members of this team are highly trained and possess a variety of technical skills. This team is available to respond to mutual aid requests throughout Citrus County and the State of Florida on a twenty-four hour basis. The goal of SMART is to swiftly and safely respond to requests for assistance, support, and coordinate the needed services in a manner that promotes the safety and security of the community.
Mobile Field Force
The Mobile Field Force provides a rapid, organized response to situations requiring a large scale police presence. Mobile Field Force may be utilized in situations like civil disorder, riots, natural disasters, or cases where crowd control is necessary. Personnel assigned to the Mobile Field Force undergo extensive training in victim rescue, crowd control, problem area isolation, criminal apprehension, and deployment of less lethal and chemical munitions (tear gas, OC spray, etc.). They utilize a variety of protective equipment including shields, ballistic helmets, etc.
Honor Guard
The Honor Guard Unit is a secondary duty assignment and members are selected from varying units within the agency. Members are required to maintain impeccable appearance, high moral standards, and strict order and discipline. The Honor Guard performs funeral honors for Sheriff's Office members killed in the line of duty, as well as for members of other law enforcement agencies when requested. The team proudly represents the Citrus County Sheriff's Office at parades, a variety of ceremonial functions and community events requiring the Presentation of Colors.
Departments
Animal Control
Animal Control Officers (ACO’s) joined the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office on September 1, 2009 and are part of the Patrol Division Special Operations Unit. ACO’s respond to complaints involving domestic animals and livestock, including calls involving animals that are abused, dangerous or a nuisance to the citizens of Citrus County. They have the authority to remove these animals and issue citations for violations of the county’s Animal Control ordinance.
Fleet Management
The Fleet Management Department is responsible for the repairs and maintenance of CCSO’s entire fleet of vehicles and equipment used for day to day operations. While a large part of the department’s responsibilities include maintenance, employees of fleet conduct repairs that occur from traffic accidents, theft, vandalism and other mishaps.
Domestic Security
The Domestic Security Department is responsible for investigating, collecting, analyzing and disseminating intelligence information concerning criminal activity, international and domestic terrorism, pawn, street gangs, outlaw motorcycle gangs, warrants, inmate telephone monitoring, registered felons and sexual offenders/predators. The department gathers criminal intelligence information for the purpose of tracking and identifying emerging crime patterns and developing enforcement and prevention strategies.
Community Relations (Public Information)
This department serves as the agency liaison to the news media. Personnel in this department are responsible for engagement with members of the press and the dissemination of agency information in an accurate and timely fashion via press conferences, news releases, response to media public records requests, and social media. Efforts are made by this department to establish a positive, professional relationship between the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office and various media outlets in an attempt to keep the public informed. Members are also responsible for the coordination of various events throughout the year and managing the agency’s Citizens’ Academy and Speakers Bureau.
Citizens’ Academy
The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office Citizens’ Academy is a hands-on, interactive, behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of your Sheriff’s Office. This 12-week educational series of classes is taught by experienced sheriff’s officials who share their unique perspective on law enforcement. The Citizens’ Academy, which is offered three times a year with both an afternoon and evening class option, even includes two field trips! Best of all – it is free.
Volunteers
The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office Volunteer Unit is comprised of nearly 800 citizens serving Citrus County. Our members come from all walks of life and bring with them many years of life experience. This experience, combined with dedication and a willingness to help fellow citizens, is an excellent example of people “helping one another.”
Senior Affairs
Seniors Affairs is comprised of CCSO’s Volunteer Unit and Seniors vs. Crime Unit. Seniors vs. Crime is a joint project of the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Attorney General’s Office. It is designed to assist people in the community who have been scammed or taken advantage of.
Special Projects
The Special Projects Department consists of numerous projects for the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, which may consist of renovation, retrofits, implementation of new programs, research and development, planning, and statistical projections.
Information Technology
Director William DiGeloromo
The Information Technology Division supports the information technology needs for every division in the Sheriff’s Office. This division is responsible for every aspect of computer use within the agency from the purchase and installation of software for an employee's desktop system to the development and implementation of the complex systems behind the scenes. The Information Technology Division impacts virtually every part of the Sheriff's Office and is vital to the day to day operation of the agency.
The Information Technology Division supports hundreds of computers in several locations throughout Citrus County. Critical applications include Records Management, Criminal Intelligence and Analysis, Mapping (GIS), Payroll and Human Resources.
The Information Technology Division plays an integral role in support of the Sheriff's Office by identifying opportunities for the agency to improve its effectiveness and productivity through the strategic use of technology. This division provides the computing to support hundreds of desktop and mobile clients.
The Citrus County Sheriff's Office is dedicated to providing the latest cutting edge technologies to increase employee productivity which in turn increases our ability to provide services for the public. The Sheriff is aware of today's needs for technological improvements and has tasked the Information Technology Division with researching, evaluating, and making formal recommendations in reference to future technological advancements. This division is committed to providing the best recommendations to continue moving forward as technology continually progresses.
The units in this division include:
- Systems & Servers
- Network & Security
- Software Applications
- Hardware & Devices
- Support
- Records and Transcribing
Financial Services
Director Tracy Seffern
: The Financial Services Division is responsible for managing the budget of the agency. Some of the financial management responsibilities of this division include general ledger accounting, payroll, accounts payable, inventory, internal controls, grants, and purchasing.
Managing the budget is the single largest function of this division. In addition to preparing all accounts receivable and payable, this division also handles a bi-weekly payroll schedule for the entire agency. Funds allocated by the county commission, along with special revenue and grant funding, are all monitored and accounted for through an annual audit session. The Financial Services division also oversees the Purchasing Unit which maintains ample law enforcement supplies for the troops, and the Inventory and Property Unit conducts an annual inventory of issued equipment.
One of the most diverse divisions at the Sheriff’s Office is Purchasing, which includes everything from keeping our patrol cars on the road and in good working order to ensuring weapons and uniforms are on hand and ready for new hires. The Purchasing Unit maintains ample law enforcement supplies for the troops, and the Inventory and Property Unit conducts an annual inventory of issued equipment.
The units in this division include:
- Budget Control
- Accounting
- Payroll
- Accounts Payable
- Audits
- Grants
- Risk Management
- Fixed Assets/Inventory Control
- Purchasing
Human Resources
Manager Terri Rockett
The Human Resources Division is responsible for planning, developing, and administering a comprehensive personnel program which includes such programs as recruitment, selection, classification, job pay evaluation, performance appraisal, affirmative action, organizational development, and disciplinary actions.
The Human Resources Division is responsible for planning, developing, and administering a comprehensive personnel program which includes such programs as recruitment, selection, classification, job pay evaluation, performance appraisal, affirmative action, organizational development, and disciplinary actions.
This division also is responsible for advising the Sheriff and division commanders regarding federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations applicable to personnel administration. Human Resources develops, administers, and maintains standardized personnel policies and procedures; establishes and maintains all personnel records; and selects, develops, and administers all employee benefit programs including health, dental, life, and retirement.
Social and community functions are also administered under the direction of the human resource personnel in conjunction with the employee activity fund.
The Internal Affairs Detective is assigned to the Human Resources Division and also conducts background investigations for potential employees and is responsible for receiving, documenting, investigating and resolving complaints against the Citrus County Sheriff's Office and/or its personnel.
The units in this division include:
- Recruitment
- Employee Benefits
- Background Investigations
- Employee Records
- Employee Events
