By Gail A. Tierney
CCSO Public Information Officer

When I met with Sheriff Dawsy to discuss possible topics for this month’s column, he surprised me by saying he’d like to take a crack at it.

“Sure,” I answered. His message follows.

For as long as I’ve been Sheriff of Citrus County, a key tenet of my management style has been holding Sheriff’s Office employees accountable not only for their own work product, but for the agency’s overall performance as well. And while it’s a huge responsibility for employees to take on, it’s also part of their own expectations as team players in this organization.

I’ve always valued the partnerships the Sheriff’s Office has nurtured and maintained within the community, whether with businesses in general, the school district, county and city government leaders and others, or Citrus County’s citizens, too.

You’ve volunteered with us, helped solve or prevent crimes, offered constructive criticism and made excellent suggestions about how law enforcement can do a better job of keeping people safe. But even with good arrests and closed cases, it’s getting harder and harder to stay one step ahead of the criminals. And that’s where citizen accountability comes into play.

If you follow the news either locally, regionally or nationally, you’ll easily recognize that crime is on the rise. Given the current economic hardships crippling families everywhere, it’s no wonder that criminals are becoming more creative, more brazen and certainly more prolific in the crimes they commit.

Recently my eastside property detectives were faced with a string of vehicle burglaries in the Lake Park community off of SR 200 in Hernando. At least seven victims reported that their vehicles had been entered and property was missing. Wallets, purses, CDs, cameras and electronics were among the items pilfered.

In every instance, the vehicle was left unlocked in the driveway.

Commonly known as car hopping, this classic “crime of opportunity” involves would-be thieves going up and down streets lifting door handles to find which ones are open. If items of value are left inside, the pickings are easy.

One Lake Park man told detectives that close to $100,000 in rare valuables had been stolen from his unlocked vehicle. This astounding jackpot included silver bars, silver certificate bills, jewelry, baseball-card collectibles and family heirlooms.

A textbook investigation followed and the night after the burglaries were reported, one of my detectives arrested two young Hernando men on charges of burglary and grand theft. Almost unbelievably, close to 95 percent of the unique valuables taken were safely recovered and returned to a grateful Lake Park citizen.

I can’t say it more simply than this: Lock your vehicles every time, whether they’re in a public lot or standing in the driveway. Even more importantly, take your valuables with you or avoid leaving them in plain view. The same holds true for your residence or business.

If we are to manage crime effectively as Citrus County grows and its culture changes, then the citizenry must take a more responsible role in the process. We’ll continue to do our part, but a safer community starts with you.