The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office is looking for more community-minded men and women with an interest in becoming active members of the agency’s public service officer (PSO) program.

The program had its start in January 2002, when volunteers were recruited to assist sworn deputies by conducting well-being checks and handling minor citizen complaints, such as vandalism incidents, bicycle thefts and found property.

These PSOs also helped deputies with traffic control at vehicle crashes and community events.

In 2003, the program expanded to include marine PSOs who help promote personal safety on Citrus County’s waterways. Road PSOs received additional training starting in early 2004, and now have the ability to handle minor traffic crash investigations. They also may issue certain traffic citations. The program expanded even more in 2006 by adding PSOs trained in serving non-enforceable civil process and assisting the agency’s Civil Section under Judicial Services. And in 2008, PSOs were given the option of receiving additional training for
duties associated with child protective investigations.

According to Sheriff Jeff Dawsy, the agency’s close to 30 public service officers play a crucial role in the day-to-day operations of the Sheriff’s Office. They’re assigned, primarily during daylight hours, both to the east and west sides of the county, seven days a week.

Two PSO sergeants serve as working supervisors. It should be noted that these are not sworn law enforcement positions. PSOs are strictly volunteers and do not have arrest powers.

All new PSO recruits first spend a minimum of 50 ride-along hours with certified deputies, during day and nighttime shifts, to learn firsthand about the agency’s daily operations. If their interest remains, recruits move on to two weeks of mandatory classroom training that includes radio communications, report writing, defensive driving, selective traffic enforcement and more.

After mastering these disciplines, recruits are assigned to PSO field training officers for additional training and instruction. Following graduation, new PSOs who wish to pursue either marine, serving civil process or duties associated with child protective investigations can receive specialized training in these chosen fields.

Sheriff Dawsy contends that his volunteer PSOs have more responsibility and authority than many others in similar, paid positions in law enforcement agencies around the state.

Interested applicants must be at least 18 years old, submit an application and pass a criminal background check. To be considered, candidates meet with a selection committee comprised of current PSOs and Sheriff’s Office leadership.

Applications must be submitted to the Sheriff’s Office no later than Friday, Feb. 20, for the upcoming spring class. Anyone with an interest in becoming a volunteer PSO is asked to call the program’s director, Deputy Tony Boline, at 352-249-2801.