Pinellas County Sheriff's Office

The shirts and medals are in and they're looking pretty jolly this year! 🎅 Already registered for our 32nd Annual Ride And Run With The Stars? One of these festive dri-fit long sleeves AND merry medals is yours! Haven't registered yet? Here's what you're missing: 🚴 25-Mile Bike Ride 🚴 10K Family Bike Ride 🏃 5K Chipped Race 👟 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk/Skate 🚔 Touch-A-Truck with specialty police vehicles 🎅 Visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus 🎪 Kids activities 🍔 Food trucks All proceeds benefit The Sheriff's Christmas Sharing Project, providing essentials and gifts to Pinellas families and crime victims this holiday season. Kick off the holidays by having a blast AND helping families in need. Saturday, December 6th | Fort De Soto Park Register at the link in the comments.

Do you know what to do if your car goes into water? Every year, vehicles end up submerged due to crashes, flooding, or accidents near water. Your survival depends on quick action, you may only have seconds. Here's what to do: 🚗 Don't panic. A car can float for a few minutes, but it will sink fast once water gets inside. 🪟 Unbuckle immediately. Roll down or break the windows right away. Pressure makes doors nearly impossible to open once submerged. 👶 Get out through the windows. Help children exit first, starting with older kids who can assist younger ones. 🔨 Keep a rescue tool in your car, but remember: strike the corner of the window, not the center. 📱 Don't call 911 from inside the vehicle. Get everyone out first, then call for help. ❌ Never wait for the car to fill with water. This dangerous myth wastes precious escape time. Talk to your family about this plan today. Knowing what to do could save your life.

Last week, Deputy Tony LoRusso and K-9 Logan, along with Deputy Dominic Brissette and K-9 VooDoo, competed in the United States Police Canine Association National Field Trials hosted by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office. Seventy-two of the top police K-9 teams from across the country competed in patrol dog exercises testing obedience, search work, and criminal apprehension skills. Deputy LoRusso and K-9 Logan placed 16th overall in individual competition. Deputy LoRusso and K-9 Logan then teamed up with Deputy Brissette and K-9 VooDoo, along with Patrick Newbill and K-9 Sway-Z of Largo Police Department and Joseph Giardina and K-9 Raider of Charlotte County Sheriff's Office to compete as a four-person Regional Team, taking 2nd place. Congratulations to our K-9 teams on representing Pinellas County so well at the national level. Pictured: Deputy LoRusso and K-9 Logan (photos 1-2), Deputy Brissette and K-9 VooDoo (photos 3-4), and the four-person Regional Team (photo 5).

Congratulations to our eleven newest deputy recruits! Tonight we celebrate the graduation of Police Recruit Class #238 from the Law Enforcement Academy at St. Petersburg College! These determined individuals have completed months of comprehensive training, preparing them to answer the call of service. They've demonstrated resilience, dedication, and a genuine desire to make a difference. Now they'll continue their development through extensive field training as they work toward becoming fully sworn PCSO deputies. Congratulations to Patrol Recruit Class #238! Pictured with the graduating class is Sergeant Drumm from the Field Training Unit.

PCSO's Dive Team is called out for a variety of reasons: to search a waterway for discarded evidence like a gun, recover a drowning victim, or assist in removing a submerged vehicle from the water. Whether the water is pitch black, frigid, known to have alligators, or sometimes all three, the Dive Team responds to find justice for victims. Recently they participated in a training exercise practicing the use of lift bags to raise a submerged vehicle off the water's bottom and float it closer to shore where a tow truck can reach it. These submerged vehicles could be the result of a miscalculation at a boat launch, a car accident, a dumped stolen vehicle, or even a missing person who drove off the road years ago. In some of these cases, the team has to work to preserve as much evidence as possible while making the recovery. Read more about this training and this incredible team in the latest edition of Inside the Star. Link in the comments below. A special thank you to CTS Towing & Transport for assisting with this training!

Why do our deputies drive Tahoes? Safety. Fleet Manager Michael Vecchione shares this answer with us and a slew of others on the latest episode of 56: A Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Podcast. 56 is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you prefer to listen to podcasts.

Congratulations to Law Enforcement Analysts Mary Ellis and Cristina Acevedo on graduating from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Law Enforcement Analyst Academy (FLEAA)! The FLEAA program provides comprehensive training for analysts who play a critical role in supporting investigations and operations. Mary and Cristina dedicated weeks to mastering analytical techniques, data interpretation, and intelligence processes that help keep our community safe. While their training took place at PCSO and HCSO, they're now part of a statewide network of skilled analysts working across Florida's law enforcement agencies. Please join us in celebrating their achievement and welcoming them as FLEAA graduates! 🎓 Pictured left to right: Captain Kim Kilian, Law Enforcement Analyst Mary Ellis, Law Enforcement Analyst Cristina Acevedo, Major Jon Tobeck. Second photo: The entire FLEAA class in front of the Sheriff's Administration Building in Largo.

It's nearly time for one of our favorite holiday traditions, Ride And Run With The Stars! When: IN THREE WEEKS - Saturday, December 6, 2025 Where: Fort De Soto Park What: Tampa Bay's LARGEST law enforcement charity fundraiser! Since 1993, this incredible event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to bring hope and help to Pinellas County children and families during the holidays. In 2023, we supported 229 families and 604 children! Choose Your Adventure: 25-Mile Bike Ride - $50 10K Family Bike Ride - $50 5K Chipped Race - $55 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk/Skate - $50 What's Included: Long-sleeved dry-fit shirt Food & refreshments Awesome giveaways Visit from Santa & Mrs. Claus Kids' activities & family fun! All proceeds benefit the Pinellas County Sheriff's Christmas Sharing Project, helping crime victims, children, and families through the holidays. Get more details and register at RideAndRunWithTheStars.com.

⭐ Community Policing in Action ⭐ Deputy Donohue with our Community Policing Unit met Mrs. Tanya, a local mother who shared that she needed help furnishing her home for herself and her children. She needed living room furniture, kitchen essentials, and additional bedroom furniture to make her house feel like a home. Deputy Donohue recalled meeting Candice from The Pineapple Projects at a back-to-school event. The non-profit helps families in need of home furnishings, so he nominated Mrs. Tanya for assistance. The Pineapple Projects responded and fully furnished her home, providing everything she needed to create a comfortable, welcoming space for her family. This is what community policing is all about: building relationships, recognizing needs, and connecting people to resources. Deputy Donohue saw someone who needed help and knew exactly where to turn. Thank you to The Pineapple Projects for the incredible work you do in Pinellas. Pictured left to right: Deputy Donohue, Mrs. Tanya, Candice from The Pineapple Projects

Yesterday, PCSO brought the classroom to life at the Great American Teach-In! Students across the county got up close with our helicopters, cruisers, and humvees, learning firsthand about the work that goes into protecting our community. Our K-9s stole the show (as usual), and our members answered everything from serious questions about police work to "What's your favorite snack?" The curiosity and enthusiasm from these young minds made the day truly special. A huge thank you to all the schools who welcomed us and to all the students who reminded us why community connection matters.