| Forensic Sciences & AFIS Divisions Achieve Accreditation |
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On March 28, 2019, the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) awarded the Forensic Sciences Division, the Forensic Imaging Unit, and the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) Division a certificate of accreditation. ANAB formally presented Sheriff Gualtieri with the award at the Sheriff's Administration Building.
The accreditation ceremony marks the Forensic Sciences and AFIS Divisions as leaders in their fields, as well as trusted professionals that uphold the highest standards of law enforcement.
In 2018, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office began the process of obtaining this accreditation.
Last November, both divisions held their first accreditation assessments, where four professionals from other law enforcement agencies visited to perform a thorough audit of the forensic and AFIS facilities.
Forensic Quality Assurance Coordinator Meredith Tise, Ph.D., was specifically hired to assist with successfully obtaining the ANAB accreditation and prepare for the following assessments each year.
She said: "The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office has one of the largest forensic (crime scene) and latent units in the southeast and most likely throughout the country, as well as a unique forensic imaging unit that handles all crime scene photography, crime scene video, and COBAN video for the agency. We currently have 28 forensic science specialists, five forensic supervisors, and seven latent print examiners. The accreditation assessors that visited our agency were extremely complimentary and were impressed by our facilities, equipment, and personnel."
Although meeting 236 requirements involving different aspects of the sheriff's office is hard work, Dr. Tise said that she loves what she does.
"I enjoy working with every member in the Forensic Sciences Division and AFIS Division each day," she affirmed. "They are all so skilled and impress me every day with their abilities while conducting investigations."
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is one of the few sheriff's offices to hold the Triple Crown Award for accreditation. We were first accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies in 1988, the American Correctional Association in 1984, and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care in 1987. Additionally, the sheriff's office adheres to the Florida Model Jail Standards. We continue to maintain these accreditations so that we uphold the highest standards for law enforcement throughout the country.
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| PCSO Presents Two New K-9s: Taco & Logan |
After four months of training, K-9s Taco and Logan graduated from Canine School and can now officially patrol Pinellas County with their handlers Corporal Aitken and Deputy Lorusso, respectively.
The K-9 Graduation Ceremony was held March 19, 2019 at Countryside High School. In addition to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Canine Unit, canine teams from the Largo Police Department, Tarpon Springs Police Department, and the Pasco County Sheriff's Office were recognized with certificates of completion.
The event included a K-9 demonstration highlighting their new skills, including explosives detection, obedience commands, agility, bite work, and tracking and human odor response.
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| K-9 Taco |
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The sheriff's office also gave special recognition to Officer Nathan Hansmann and K-9 Ozzie who passed away from an infection about five months ago. Corporal Aitken presented Officer Hansmann with a plaque to remember and honor their service together. Officer Hansmann is starting a new journey with K-9 Chato at the Largo Police Department.
The new K-9s will continue their training and will be given the opportunity to become certified in narcotic and explosive detection.
To learn more about the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Canine Unit, and get active updates, follow us on social media. We are on
Facebook,
Instagram,
Youtube, and
Twitter.
We are excited to announce the beginning of a new social media series on Taco Tuesday called:"Taco's Catch of the Week," brought to you by K-9 Taco!
Taco will deliver the latest K-9 news and feature one catch from our Canine Unit on Tuesdays.
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| Meet the Stars: Sergeant Alvin Ortiz |
Watch our newest Meet the Stars episode on Sergeant Alvin Ortiz! He began his law enforcement career in Puerto Rico and has been working for the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office for 18 years since he moved back to the United States. In his free time, Sergeant Ortiz practices Taekwondo; he is a fourth-degree black belt and international instructor.
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| April Marks Distracted Driving Awareness Month |
Every year in April, law enforcement agencies partner to bring attention to Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office participates by organizing the Targeted Response Against Distracted Driving (TRADD) program.
Not only will the sheriff's office be delivering safety tips online, but it will also be giving a presentation for students at Osceola High School on April 8th and 10th.
Some tips for preventing distractions on the road are:
1. Place your cell phone out of sight so that you are not tempted to text or have phone conversations while driving.
2. If you have passengers in the car, ask for their help so you can focus on driving-such as changing the radio station or adjusting the navigation system.
3. Properly restrain your pets or children in the car prior to starting the vehicle so they don't move freely in the car during your trip.
4. If you ever feel tired, sick, or distracted, pull over and take a break until you are mentally and physically ready to operate your vehicle again.
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"This bi-weekly newsletter is another step in my effort to give interested residents the most up-to-date information about services and programs here, at the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. I value your feedback and look forward to continuing our dialogue about public safety."
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The Sheriff's Main Office
10750 Ulmerton Road
Largo, FL 33778
The Sheriff's North District Office
2496 Bayshore Boulevard
Dunedin, FL 34698
For Non-Emergencies
(727) 582-6200
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A.R.M.S. Data
Assistant
General Description:
Under the direction of a supervisor, performs advanced clerical work of considerable difficulty involving complex work procedures and methods. Members in this class operate data entry equipment in a law enforcement, telephone-reporting environment. Work is reviewed through
observation and results obtained. Shift work is required.
Key Qualifications
:
-High school graduation or equivalent diploma from an accredited institution.
-One year of experience in a clerical office environment.
-An accuracy score of 80% on data entry.
-An accuracy score of 75% on grammar.
-Typing speed of 40 wpm.
-Must possess a valid Florida driver's license.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
-Knowledge of modern office business equipment, practices and procedures.
-Good knowledge of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and formatting.
-Ability to communicate concisely and accurately via telephone.
-Ability to transcribe reports accurately via live dictation.
-Skill in operating data entry equipment.
-Ability to perform all functions of the job classification without posing a direct threat to
the health or safety of other individuals in the workplace.
For further details about the A.R.M.S. Data Assistant, see the full job description here.
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