Here
is Sheriff Rambosk’s message to agency members. He asked that we share it with
you as well. All of us at the Collier County Sheriff’s Office wish you a happy
and safe 2015.
All Members…
As
we reach the end of 2014 and see 2015 on the horizon, I want to wish you and
your families a very Happy and Safe New Year!
It
has been an incredible year for Collier County and you can be proud of the fact
that you have all been a part of making it that way.
I know you are also aware, this has been a difficult year for the law enforcement profession. Some may say that officer safety has never been more important than it is today, and while that is true, law enforcement has always been a dangerous profession and always will be. Today, more than ever, you are to be lauded for accepting the mission of protecting and serving your community in spite of those very real dangers. The training you have undergone, along with the mastery of resources and equipment, is all done with the goal of staying safe and taking lawful actions in support of the communities safety when required. We are very fortunate in Collier County that the time and energy you have invested in these areas along with building positive relationships in our community are reflected in the outpouring of support for law enforcement that we have seen locally. We have recently had an opportunity to meet with a community service organization and others in our community who wish to join with us to continue to enhance our many existing diverse partnerships.
I
have reviewed and assessed the law enforcement related incidents occurring
nationwide over the last year and particularly the last few weeks relative to
our community as well as our agency. It should be noted that you and our agency
has engaged in or implemented actions even prior to some incidents relative to
improving our safety and capabilities. We are working to complete phase II of
our three phase vest replacement program, delivered more law enforcement
training (including safety and specialty types) last year than ever
before and have budgeted for the same level in the coming year, issued
smartphones to operations staff, established and submitted requirements for
upgrading the countywide 800 MHZ radio system, designed and have begun
implementing the Next Generation 911 Emergency Communications system for Collier
County and much more.
In
the coming year we will continue to move forward with making sure you continue
to have what you need to successfully carry out your duties in the way our
community expects. In light of broader ongoing law enforcement
safety concerns, rather than just talking about it, I have already met with
agency members at various levels to develop and implement some specific actions
both immediate and longer term. Some of them are included for your information
below.
I
have met with Lt. Welch to re-prioritize the C.I.T training schedule to
work toward the completion of C.I.T training for the remainder of operations
members primarily in the next year, and including adding additional
training sessions where feasible. We will continue to work toward our
goal of all members completing C.I.T. training and are well on our way with
more than 700 countywide participants competed thus far . As many of you know,
C.I.T training includes excellent tactics for de-escalating situations and
handling persons in crisis, while keeping everyone safer.
Next,
we are working on two new initiatives that will enhance public safety in the
coming year. One is an information-sharing initiative that will allow officer
safety bulletins, B.O.L.O.s and other critical safety or emergency information
to be displayed continuously on electronic screens posted in strategic
locations throughout agency facilities, as well as on M.D.T.s.
The
other is , I have met with our Information Technology Bureau and operations
members and requested development of an internal mobile app for agency
smartphones that will provide mission-critical push notifications to you in the
event of situations in which there is an eminent officer-safety threat locally
or nationally as well as in progress crimes or emergencies you need to be made
aware of in real-time to keep you and your family safe while you go about your
daily lives throughout the county. I am intending for this capability to
be made available for use by all local law enforcement officers, countywide. We
will continue to advance our use of access to information via our smartphones
throughout the county and build upon these initial efforts in the future.
We are fortunate, as one of the top 50 largest Sheriff’s Offices in the USA, to
have smartphones issued to all members that need them---even many larger cities
and counties do not have this as a resource for members.
In
the coming weeks, we will also be field testing body cameras with our members
and reviewing the complicated issues involved with video recording and video
storage. Also, in the first half of 2015, we will be hosting a CCSO
“Family” Academy. We hope to provide information on how your family
members can protect themselves in dangerous situations as well as what to do if
you become involved in an off-duty encounter. The Family Academy
will have an optional defensive tactics component appropriate for civilians, as
well as an optional gun safety module at the range.
Fortunately,
the vast majority of our local community understands and appreciates your
dedication and professionalism. Just this past week a large crowd attended a
North Naples rally in support of first responders, specifically citing CCSO
members, that was hosted by the Gulf Coast Retired Firefighters
Association. In addition, members of the community approach or email me daily
to relay their appreciation for everything you do to keep them and their
families safe.
Please
accept my sincere appreciation everything you do for our community and my
wishes for a great and safe year ahead… TNX- 452
More
to come…
Kevin J. Rambosk
Sheriff "Service to others before self"
