winter/spring 2011 Dear Collier County Friends, First and foremost, I want to thank you for being our partner in safety. Because of your efforts and the dedication of our hard-working deputies, crime remains down and we live in one of the safest counties in Florida. Whether you were vigilant about locking your car, reported suspicious activity to law enforcement, or participated in a Neighborhood Watch program, you have contributed to our low crime rate. We need your help more than ever as we move forward. Your continued involvement is imperative as the Collier County Sheriff s Office works to hold the line against crime. There are lots of ways you can be our partner in community safety. Here are just a few of them: Schedule a free home or business security survey by calling CCSO s Crime Prevention Bureau at 239.252.0700. Protect your identity by securing all passwords, pin numbers, your Social Security number, and other sensitive information. Always lock your car and stow valuables. Join or start a Neighborhood Watch group. Report any suspicious activity to law enforcement. I hope you enjoy this special edition of the Collier Star and I look forward to your continued partnership for a safe community. Sincerely, Kevin J. Rambosk Collier County Sheriff You Hold The Key, Collier County Cpl. Robert Cady hands out You Hold The Key educational materials while patrolling Golden Gate. Vehicle break-ins are on the rise in Collier County and deputies are out reminding the community about the importance of locking car doors. Photo by Community Service Deputy Ellen Loftus/CCSO T hieves are targeting unlocked vehicles more than ever in Collier County. And Sheriff Kevin J. Rambosk is calling on the community to help stop the trend. Seventy-five percent of the vehicle break-ins in Collier County in 2010 happened to unlocked cars. That s up significantly from 2009, when 68 percent of the vehicle break-ins targeted unlocked cars. CCSO has launched a massive public safety campaign called You Hold The Key, reminding residents and visitors about the importance of locking car doors. If motorists simply remove their valuables and lock their doors, the number of vehicle break-ins will go down, said Sheriff Rambosk. We are asking the community to partner with us to keep Collier County safe, Sheriff Rambosk said. There is no doubt that when you lock your car you are helping us prevent crime. In 2010, 791 of the 1,048 vehicle break-ins reported to CCSO happened to cars that weren t locked. In 2009, 665 of the 972 vehicle burglaries involved unlocked cars. Eighty percent of the break-ins in 2010 happened at residences. Vehicle break-ins are crimes of opportunity. Many thieves pull on door handles until they find an unlocked vehicle. Thieves also tend to look through vehicle windows to see if there are any valuables inside. That s why CCSO recommends that motorists either remove valuables from their vehicle or stow them out of view. Here are more ways you can keep your vehicle safe: Remove all valuables or keep them out of sight. This is particularly important with GPS systems, laptops and ipods. Make sure to remove all base mounts, cords and chargers from view as well. Remember to lock your doors even when your car is parked at home. That s where most unlocked vehicle burglaries happen. Of the 791 unlocked cars targeted by thieves in 2010, 630 were parked at a home, apartment or condominium. If your vehicle is broken into, report it to law enforcement even if nothing significant was taken. The more information investigators have about these crimes, the more likely it is that they ll be able to identify and stop the people committing them. When a hallway next to the Central Records Bureau got a fresh coat of paint recently, it sparked an idea for Collier County Sheriff s Office Community Outreach Director Stephanie Spell. Why not transform it into a gallery where local organizations with art programs can share their works with the public? And so was born the CCSO Community Gallery. The gallery debuted in mid-october with artwork of domestic violence survivors who participate in the Naples Shelter for Abused Women and Children s Healing Arts Program. That exhibit was followed in January by the art of child residents at Youth Haven, a shelter for children and adolescents who are the victims of abuse, neglect or abandonment. In March, the K is for Kids Foundation will present its artwork at the gallery. K is for Kids promotes literacy and a love of reading in children by expanding their access to books in and out of school. Sheriff Kevin J. Rambosk sees the gallery as a new and innovative way for his agency to partner with the community. The Community Gallery project provides the opportunity for local public service organizations to raise awareness of poignant social issues by displaying the artistic works of Collier citizens. For more information about the gallery contact Community Outreach Director Stephanie Spell at 239.793.9396, or Stephanie.Spell@colliersheriff.org. More than 150 people turned out to view artwork by domestic violence survivors during a reception to mark the debut of the Community Gallery at the Collier County Sheriff s Office in October 2010. Photo by Kristi Lester/CCSO
Page 2 Make A Difference, Be A CCSO Volunteer Mike Jones has been a CCSO volunteer for 30 years. A licensed pilot, Jones typically logs 1,000 volunteer hours a year, most of it spent in the air looking for speeders along Alligator Alley or searching for missing adults and children. Photo by Cpl. Efrain Hernandez/CCSO After retiring from a 45-year career in law enforcement, Richard Plager is now a volunteer with the Collier County Sheriff s Office. One day a week, Plager patrols East Naples in a specially marked CCSO vehicle. The 83-year-old former Sanibel police chief is one of more than 100 active CCSO volunteers who assist deputies in a variety of ways. CCSO has enhanced its volunteer program, offering citizens even more opportunities to get involved, said Susan Vivonetto, program coordinator. There are opportunities to staff special events, provide research or support to investigators, perform data entry or assist with the agency s many youth programs. It really is about having people out there who are concerned about the safety of their community and being actively involved in keeping it that way, Vivonetto said. For Plager, who lives in Collier with his wife Grace, 52, also a CCSO volunteer, it s an opportunity to give back. It gives you a feeling of accomplishment, he said. I certainly recommend it to anyone who is interested in doing something for their community. Community Patrol Volunteers like Plager drive specially marked vehicles to patrol neighborhoods. If something doesn t look right, they pass that information along to the deputies. CPVs also help with traffic issues, special events and searches for missing people. It gives you a feeling of accomplishment. I certainly recommend it to anyone who is interested in doing something for their community. Volunteer Richard Plager A licensed private pilot, most of Mike Jones volunteer time is spent in the air, helping the traffic unit nab speeders along Alligator Alley and assisting in missing person searches. Jones, 58, who retired from the East Naples Fire Department in 2005, has been a CCSO auxiliary deputy since 1980. As long as I can contribute to the Sheriff s Office, I m going to continue to do it, Jones said. Specialized processing and background checks are necessary to become a volunteer. CCSO volunteer Richard Plager For more information call 252-0530, or go to www.colliersheriff.org to download an application. MEET YOUR CCSO Corrections command staff Scott Salley Chief of Corrections Age: 59 Years with CCSO: 19 Chief Salley is charged with the administration, control and management of the Jail Division, which includes the Naples Jail Center, Immokalee Jail Center and Bailiff Bureau. Chief Salley s responsibilities include developing new jail programs and policies, preparing an annual division budget, planning for jail expansion and making recommendations about jail operations to the Sheriff. Kevin McGowan Jail Division Commander Age: 56 Years with CCSO: 30 Commander McGowan is responsible for planning, organizing and supervising assigned jail operations under the direction of Captain Richards. His responsibilities include overseeing and ensuring the security of the jails. Beth Richards Jail Division Captain Age: 42 Years with CCSO: 23 Captain Richards assists Chief Salley in planning, administering and directing the activities of the Naples Jail Center, Immokalee Jail and Bailiff Bureau. Her responsibilities include coordinating and directing the daily operation of the Jail Division. She is the first female certified officer in CCSO history to attain the rank of captain. Patricia Gifford Jail Division Commander Age: 36 Years with CCSO: 14 Commander Gifford is responsible for planning, organizing and supervising assigned jail operations under the direction of Captain Richards. Her responsibilities include overseeing and ensuring the security of the jails.
Page 3 New Center Puts Kids, Families First The Collier County Sheriff s Office is taking the lead in a multi-agency partnership behind the new Youth Resource Center. The center, on the fifth floor of the Collier County courthouse, seeks to address the needs of all youth from at-risk kids to those who are on the right track in life - and their families in Collier. Photo by Efrain Hernandez/CCSO Parents, is your child skipping school? Abusing drugs? Being bullied? The new Youth Resource Center can help. We want parents in Collier County to have a secure place to come if they need assistance, Sheriff Kevin J. Rambosk said. The Collier County Sheriff s Office is the lead agency in the multi-agency partnership behind the center. Partners regularly on-site include the David Lawrence Mental Health Center, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Collier County School District, Lutheran Services of Florida, Florida Department of Children and Families, Drug Free Collier. The center s location on the fifth floor of the Collier County courthouse provides a convenient resource for families that are directed by the court to seek help. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The center addresses delinquency, dependency, and truancy, and helps kids who have been determined to be at risk. Juvenile mental health assessments, individual and group counseling, substance abuse education, drug testing, anger management, and parenting classes are some of the services offered. Some of the functions of the center were previously offered by the Collier County Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC). However, due to a declining tax base and fee structures that are no longer sufficient the JAC was unable to continue funding those services. Future plans call for the resource center to address the needs of and develop programs and resources for the youth in Collier County who are headed in a positive direction. The hope is to have a separate, free-standing structure in addition to the center at the courthouse, the sheriff said. We want to become the hub for information, referrals and, ultimately, activities for young people in Collier County, Sheriff Rambosk said. Other partners and stakeholders include Marco Island Police Department, Naples Police Department, State Attorney s Office, Collier County Parks and Recreation, Collier County Health Department, Naples Alliance For Children, Boys and Girls Club, Police Activities League, PACE Center for Girls, and Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America. Did You Know? CCSO Lauded For Excellence The Collier County Sheriff s Office earned the prestigious Excellence in Industry Innovation Award for 2010 from the Economic Development Council of Collier County. CCSO was honored for its groundbreaking approach to strategic planning. While law enforcement strategic plans are traditionally created in-house, Sheriff Rambosk invited the community to help shape CCSO s Community Safety Plan. More than 350 residents attended a series of public meetings around the county to help create the plan. Together agency members and the community set five areas of focus: youth programming, communication, traffic safety, community outreach, and crime prevention. Waste Management Partnership Boosts Safety More eyes and ears tuned in to public safety. That s the result of Waste Watch, a partnership between the Collier County Sheriff s Office and hauler Waste Management. The company s 100 drivers who travel Collier County roads daily have received training to take note of and report anything that seems suspicious. CCSO Website Offers Parent Resources Parents can find an array of information to help them keep their kids safe in a new section of the Collier County Sheriff s Office website, www.colliersheriff.org. Topics include drug prevention, Internet safety, truancy prevention and more. Just go to the home page and click on the button that says Parents.
Page 4 CCSO Members Pay It Forward Law enforcement isn t the only thing going on at the Collier County Sheriff s Office. Agency members are making Collier County a better place to live by contributing to an array of worthy causes. Through payroll deduction alone, CCSO members contributed $23,882.25 to charities in fiscal 2010. On top of that, many agency members signed up to be on the CCSO teams participating in the American Heart Association s annual Collier Heart Walk and the American Cancer Society s Relay for Life. Fundraisers conducted on behalf of these events included everything from a lunchtime nacho bar to a Saturday morning dog walk. In April, dozens of agency members ran in the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run to support the Special Olympics. Also in April, the second annual Cops and Crabs event hosted by CCSO and Joe s Crab Shack brought in about $4,000 for Special Olympics. CCSO had a large presence in the Police Unity Tour in May. Ten agency members took part in the challenging 250-mile bicycle ride that benefits the National Law Enforcement Officer s Memorial and Museum in Washington, D.C. CCSO members involved with the Police Activities League mentor and enrich the lives of underprivileged and deserving Collier County children. In 2010 P.A.L. members made regular visits to interact with the children at Youth Haven, escorted several Everglades area kids on field trips and helped more than 20 children purchase holiday gifts for their family members through P.A.L. s annual Shop With A Cop event. The sacrifices of America s military men and women didn t go unnoticed by CCSO members. The agency partnered with the Red Cross of Collier County in November to collect and pack toiletry items into 1,000 holiday stockings for active military personnel. In November, CCSO s Corrections staff helped out St. Matthew s House in East Naples with a canned food drive that collected 2,329 pounds of food. More than 500 at-risk and needy students attending the Boys and Girls Club of Collier County had a brighter Christmas due to the success of CCSO s fifth annual Celebrate with A Star gift drive initiative. Agency members collected toys and clothes for students ranging from first grade through high school. Cpl. Leilani Price of the Youth Relations Bureau helps Everglades area children select holiday gifts for their family members during the annual Shop With A Cop event sponsored by the Police Activities League. Each child was given $100, paired off with a CCSO agency member and went shopping at the Naples K-Mart in December. Photo by Kristi Lester/CCSO East Naples Cpl. William Pschigoda does some heavy lifting to help provide 146 needy Collier County families with Thanksgiving dinner. Feed Collier was a countywide initiative that identified and brought relief to struggling families by packing and hand-delivering boxes filled with everything a family needs for Thanksgiving dinner. Thanks to the strong partnership between the CCSO and its community partners including Sam s Club, Super Wal-Mart, Super Target and Sweet Bay, the boxes were filled with additional household staples such as peanut butter, juice and oatmeal. Photo by Kristi Lester/CCSO From left: Sgt. Darren Larson, Sgt. Robert Nixon, Cpl. Darrel Kehne, Cpl. Matt Macera and Lt. Mark Carroll cycle the 250-mile Police Unity Tour trek. Photo submitted by Julie Dickie