June 2022 | Issue 18

A MESSAGE FROM

SHERIFF PRENDERGAST

Enjoy Scallop Season Safely

It's the official start of Scallop Season! Each year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) evaluates the bay scallop population and decides upon the appropriate season for recreational harvesting. FWC has decided that Citrus’ scallop season will begin on July 1st and continue through September 24th.

"Scallop With Blue Eyes Showing"

Credit: britonthemove.com/floridascalloping

Scalloping is a long-held tradition for Citrus County residents and visitors. We have some of the most popular and productive waters for scalloping, including the Chassahowitzka and Crystal River waterways.

Of course, while scalloping is enjoyable, follow our "Know Before You Go" guidelines below to familiarize yourself with the laws on this recreational activity. And remember, our Marine Deputies will be out on the waterways ensuring everyone has a safe scalloping experience.

SCALLOPING... KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Fishing Licenses

Scalloping falls into the category of fishing; therefore, you need a saltwater fishing license if you are going out on your own. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website lists the following fees for saltwater fishing licenses:

● Resident Annual: $17.00

● Resident Youth: $17.00

o Optional for youth ages 8-15

o Valid until their 17th birthday

● Resident Five-year: $79.00

● Non-Resident Annual: $47.00

● Non-Resident 3-Day: $17.00

● Non-Resident 7-Day: $30.00

Scalloping charters will typically include the required licensing, but check before signing up.

Bag Limits

If you choose to go scalloping, keep in mind there are limits you must adhere to. The personal bag limit for the Citrus County area is 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in their shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat. Boat limits for our area are 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in their shell or 1/2 gallon of scallop meat (1/2 gallon = 4 pints), but keep in mind that your vessel limit does not allow you to exceed your personal bag limit.

Gear Requirements

● Scallops must be caught by hand or by using a landing or dip net.

● If you plan to scuba or snorkel, carry and display a divers-down flag.

Disposing of Shells

Be mindful when disposing of scallop shells. Don’t discard shells in waters that are used recreationally, such as the Homosassa River and Crystal River. Shells can create a hazard for swimmers and native seagrass habitats. Dispose of scallop shells in trash receptacles or in larger bodies of water where they are more likely to disperse.

Water Safety

Of course, always be safe while enjoying our waterways by-

● Supervising young children in and around the water.

● Having a basic first aid kit available for unanticipated scrapes or cuts.

● Staying hydrated and using appropriate protection from the sun.

● If boating, wear a life jacket and adhere to all boating rules.

● Be respectful and observant of others navigating vessels through waterways.

● On April 20, 2022, Federal Regulation § 175.320 went into

effect requiring fire extinguishers aboard all recreational boats with

1) Permanently installed fuel tank(s) or

2) Spaces that are capable of trapping fume.

Read more by following this link: Federal Regulation § 175.320.

● Taking a boating safety course.

Click here for Boating Safety Courses shared by the Florida Wildlife

and Conservation Commission.

Lastly, remember that Scallop Season brings additional people and vessels to our area, making it even more essential to stay sober when in, on, or near the water. If you are going to have alcohol, designate a sober operator or driver to make sure everyone gets home safe.

For more information visit www.myfwc.com

#ScallopSafeCitrus

What Is A Scallop?

For those of you who may be new to the area, new to scalloping, or just unfamiliar with scallops in general, here is some basic information about the creatures that have an entire season dedicated to their species.

dir\ct and compelling headline

The Florida bay scallop is a bivalve mollusk, similar to oysters, mussels, and clams. There are two types of scallops: bay scallops and sea scallops. The ones found on the seagrass beds of the Gulf of Mexico are Florida bay scallops (argopecten irradians). Florida bay scallops are smaller than sea scallops. Sea scallops are up to three times larger in size than Florida bay scallops. Florida bay scallops live in seagrass beds in shallow water, usually 4 to 10 feet deep, along Florida’s central and northern west coast. They have thirty little blue eyes that glow and will close as the eyes sense shadows when you dive down to catch a scallop.

Watch the video for more info on Safe Scalloping.

OPERATION CYBER KNIGHTS

OPERATION CYBER KNIGHTS resulted in the arrest of ten individuals preying on children over the internet. Watch the video above to see the CCSO team in action protecting our kids.

"I am extremely proud of the teamwork from the various law enforcement agencies that went into making these arrests possible, and for knowing that thanks to their dedication, we’ve stopped these sexual predators from preying on children in our county and our surrounding counties." ~ Sheriff Mike Prendergast

#CCSOProtecting

Top 10 Apps Every Parent Should Know About...

1.) Snapchat 6.) Roblox

2.) Kik 7.) Discord

3.) TikTok 8.) Whisper

4.) Instagram 9.) Omegle

5.) Vault App 10.) Whatsapp

In light of our recent operation (Operation Cyber Knights) -- which was a strategic, undercover internet operation to apprehend dangerous, cyber predators -- we are sharing this vital information. Our High Tech Crimes Unit Detectives have deemed these applications the top 10 most potentially dangerous applications parents should be aware of.

These applications continue to be virtual interstates for online predators to gain access to our youth. Just as easily as it is for our youth to get online to chat with friends – it is just as easy for predators to get online and start chatting with your child.

Sheriff Prendergast has firmly warned parents about the need to monitor what their children are doing online. Now that summer is here, we can expect to see a significant increase in our youth’s online activities.

Parents, please pay attention to these potentially harmful apps. Talk to your children about what they can do to stay safe online and avoid lurking dangers.

CCSO's PROPOSED BUDGET NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT

Fiscal Year 2022/2023 Proposed Budget

The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to ‘Excellence in Public Safety’ by responding to community needs. However, our ability to do so effectively is in jeopardy. Competition for qualified applicants within the public safety professions has never been more acute. Employers are competing with one another for essentially the same pool of prospective employees. CCSO’s proposed budget reflects competitive wages, additional staffing, and deployment of Body Worn Cameras -- all necessary to recruit and retain the best, brightest, and most dedicated law enforcement professionals that Citrus County deserves. We need the community’s support to ensure that CCSO’s proposed budget is approved by the Board of County Commissioners.

In 2010, Citrus County had 141,236 residents and CCSO responded to 77,256 9-1-1 calls. Today we have over 158,083 residents and respond to almost 89,000 9-1-1 calls plus almost 131,000 additional non-emergency calls. Estimates predict that our population will exceed 186,000 people by 2030. Unless we increase our staffing, response time to emergencies will increase due to an insufficient CCSO workforce. Our proposed budget will help us face the challenges of a growing community. Yet, an increased population is only part of the challenge. Law enforcement has become a very complex field. A Tennessee Supreme Court Justice described that law enforcement today is required to be an investigator, a medic, social worker, crisis intervention specialist, counselor, mentor, and peace maker. We couldn't agree more; we see this every day in Citrus County.

Our proposed budget will provide CCSO the means to continue to meet the demands and service expectations of our citizens by:

· offering competitive compensation to attract and retain quality staff

· increasing sorely needed support staffing

· deploying Body Worn Cameras to improve evidence collection,

strengthen deputy performance and accountability, and enhance

overall agency transparency

CCSO has a duty to protect our community from criminals, accidents, natural disaster, and even from each other. We are often called upon to search for criminals, children, elderly, parents, and pets. We are society’s problem solvers when there is no other solution. Our community's expectations are the same as all others, and Citrus County must be aggressive in efforts to gain high caliber law enforcement professionals. It is incumbent on all of us to keep Citrus County the safest community in Florida.

Click here to read the Proposed Budget in its entirely

How YOU can help...

Let our local representatives know that you

support CCSO’s proposed budget to

KEEP CITRUS COUNTY SAFE.

Contact BOCC Members

By email:

Ronald E. Kitchen, Jr. [email protected]

Ruthie Davis Schlabach [email protected]

Holly L. Davis [email protected]

Jeff Kinnard, D.C. [email protected]

Scott E. Carnahan [email protected]

By phone: 352-341-6560 - Toll-Free 352-489-2120 (Citrus Springs & Dunnellon)

By U.S. Mail

Citrus County Board of County Commissioners

110 N. Apopka Avenue

Inverness, FL 34450

Contact the Citrus County Chronicle

By U.S. Mail

Letters to the Editor

1624 N Meadowcrest Blvd

Crystal River, FL 34429

Submit Online

https://www.chronicleonline.com/site/forms/online_services/letter_editor/

JUNE'S MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS

June was National Safety Month. Of course, living in beautiful Citrus County provides us with many opportunities to explore the Nature Coast and all it has to offer. CCSO shared some important videos to keep our residents safe when enjoying the water.

Watch the video above to learn about

life jckets.

#PlaySafeCitrus

Watch the video to learn more about

Vessel Safety Equipment.

Playing safe includes planning ahead and having proper equipment aboard your boat, including the equipment you may only need in an emergency. Watch our Vessel Safety Equipment video to learn more and learn more at www.uscgboating.org.

Integrity ● Service Above Self ● Loyalty Above All

JOIN OUR TEAM

Integrity. Service above self. Loyalty above all.

Those are the values shared by the team of individuals who make up the Citrus County Sheriff's Office. If you've considered a career in Law Enforcement--either as Deputy Sheriff, Communications Officer, or Support staff--CCSO may have a position for you!

For over 135 years, CCSO has been committed to protecting our community. We have a history of loyalty and dedication to public service. We are currently seeking individuals to join our team to continue achieving our vision that Citrus County is the safest community in Florida. Members of our team have a unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our residents and to engage in a rewarding career that demands hard work, integrity, high standards, and constant learning.

We are currently hiring for the following positions:

o DEPUTY SHERIFF – $19.05/HR

o COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER – $15.48/HR

o SUBSTANCE ABUSE ADVOCATE – $16.65/HR

o QUALITY ASSURANCE CLERK – $13.06/HR

o ACCOUNTING ANALYST – $14.73/HR

o CRIME SCENE SPECIALIST – $16.65/HR

o COMMUNITY RELATIONS SPECIALIST - $20.06/HR

o PART-TIME PUBLIC SERVICE OFFICER – $12.30/HR

Visit www.sheriffcitrus.org, click here to “Join Our Team," or reach out to our HR Background Investigator, Chris Evan, at 352-341-7452. Employer Paid Benefits include Florida Retirement · Life Insurance · Medical Insurance · Dental Insurance · Vision Insurance · Education Salary Incentive · Tuition Reimbursement · Vacation and Sick Leave · Eleven Paid Holidays.

Don't wait...Apply today and Join Our Team!

TEXT 988 Coming July 16

On average, there are 129 suicides every day and for every suicide, 25 more people attempt suicide. Among 15- to 24-year-olds, suicide is the second leading cause of death.

Beginning July 16, 2022, people can TEXT ‘988’ as well as dial ‘988’ to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors that are part of the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network. These trained counselors will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to lifesaving resources.

PLEASE NOTE TEXT 988 WILL NOT BE ACTIVE UNTIL July 16, 2022. If you or someone you know is in crisis now, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to be connected to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7.

CCSO Volunteers

This group alone represents over 40 years of collective CCSO volunteerism!

The Citrus County Sheriff's Office boasts the most dedicated and valuable Volunteers anywhere. Last year, over 400 individuals give their time, experience, and skills to make Citrus County the safe and desirable place we call home.

Last year, over 400 volunteers gave over 57,000 hours to work in 23 different areas of the CCSO. CCSO Volunteers can be found patrolling your neighborhood and checking on the homes of your neighbors who are away, providing fingerprinting services for those in need for employment, directing traffic at accident scenes to ensure that drivers can safely navigate around and get on their way, sewing on the patches and hemming the pants of the uniforms our deputies wear, operating HAM radio during an emergency when typical communications are hindered, assisting the bailiffs at court and many other areas.

To find out more or to apply to be a CCSO Volunteer, go to www.sheriffcitrus.org/volunteer-citrus-county-sheriff.php

We'd love to have you join our team.