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Sheriff's Office Seeks A Few Good Citizens

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By LISA A. DAVIS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 15, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Now's your chance to cruise the county in a truck or car bearing the words "Pasco County Sheriff" with sleek green and gold stripes emblazoned on the side. And you don't even have to ride in the back seat with fancy bracelets.

The sheriff's office is looking for a few volunteers who want to help the right side of the law by assisting sworn deputies in patrolling Pasco's roads.

The agency is accepting applications for its Citizen Service Unit Academy, a nearly 4-year-old program that has helped deputies concentrate on higher priority calls while volunteers assist with routine calls from residents.

If you are interested in the gig, which comes with a special uniform, you'd better hurry. Classes begin March 4 at Land O' Lakes Jail, and Sgt. Troy Fergueson, who supervises the unit, wants to get people signed up in the next week or two.

Applicants must be at least 18, have a valid driver's license, pass a background check and successfully complete the academy before hitting the road. Whether you're interested in starting a career in law enforcement, just want to give back to the community or simply want to find an activity for your retirement years, the CSU might be the place, according to the sheriff's office. The average age in the unit is about 63. Currently, the youngest of the 34 members is twentysomething and the oldest is 83, Fergueson said.

To receive an application by mail, call Human Resources at (727) 844-7791 or toll free at 1-800-854-2862, Ext. 7791. Applications also can be picked up at 8700 Citizen Drive, in New Port Richey off Little Road. For information, contact Fergueson at (727) 815-7035 or Tfergueson @pascosheriff.org.

This isn't ho-hum volunteer work. It's serious business. CSU members respond to minor traffic incidents and are trained to investigate them. They do parking patrols and handle disabled vehicle calls and minor offenses.

Since the unit's inception, CSU volunteers have responded to more than 14,000 public-initiated calls, nearly 17,000 proactive calls, and have contributed more than 34,000 hours of service. Using an estimated hourly rate of $18.77, Fergueson said that's a cost savings of $660,000 to the sheriff's office.

Reporter Lisa A. Davis can be reached at (727) 815-1083 or ldavis@tampatrib.com.

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