SRSO

Family members and friends of inmates will have to establish an account with Offender Connect to accept inmate collect phone calls from this facility. Click on the link here to set up an account. This only pertains to inmate phone calls and is not connected to inmate accounts. See link below to add money to an inmate account. It is strongly recommended to access this service online as the customer service call center waiting time may be longer during normal working hours. The customer service call center can be reached at (814) 949-3303 or online at www.offenderconnect.com or by email at support@OffenderConnect.com. Hours of operation are Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (EST).

Inmate Account Information (click here)

To add money to an inmate account go to:

www.touchpaydirect.com

We are now accepting applications for “Certified” Correctional Officers. Perspective employees can download our application from the Careers section above. The applications can be turned in to the Human Resource Section at the Sheriff's Office. NOTICE: The Sheriff's Office is a “Tobacco Free" agency. You must be Tobacco Free for six (6) months prior to the application process.

"Providing reliable, timely information to our citizens is one of our top priorities," says Sheriff Wendell Hall. The public can now access crime 24 hours a day through our website or Crime Reports website or through the Crime Reports IPhone application, a free download in the Apple ITunes store. The new service also allows local citizens to sign up for free custom email alerts so they can stay on top of crime in their neighborhood. Sheriff Hall says "Information is power and we hope that giving the community this information will help them prevent crime in their neighborhoods." Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office is joining over a thousand other law enforcement agencies sharing their crime information with the public through the map including local law enforcement agencies like the Pensacola Police Department and the Escambia County Sheriff's Office. You can access your local crime map below and also sign up for email crime alerts at:

Social networking has become the most popular form of communication in America today. From Twitter to cell phones and texting most people rely upon the computer for their up to date information. Keeping with this explosive trend in communications Sheriff Wendell Hall has created a Facebook page for the citizens of Santa Rosa County to find out what's going on with their local sheriff's office. From tips on safety to scam alerts and crimes committed within the community, just sign up on our Facebook and receive instant news on events that may affect you and your family. To sign up just click here, log on to your Facebook account, then enter "Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office" in your Facebook search bar.

Jail tours for local youths are being conducted on the first Saturday of each month, from 1-2 PM, at the Santa Rosa County Jail East Milton (5755 East Milton Rd., Milton, Fl.). The youths must be between the ages of 8-17. These tours are by parent request only. Parents may sign up and register their child by calling Jerry Reed at 626-3041. The following reflects the tour dates for 2012: January 7, February 4, March 3, April 14 (skipping Good Friday weekend), May 5, June 2, July 7, August 4, September 8, October 6, November 3, and December 1, 2012.

Sheriff Hall and the officers and staff of the Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office would like to offer their congratulations to K-9 Deputy Chrystal Bozard for obtaining her AA degree in Criminal Justice from Columbia Southern University on November 30, 2011.

The Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office along with other contributors will be sponsoring a child safety program called Watch, Whistle & Wait that incorporates a video called Lost, But Found Safe and Sound. The video is about a young child who gets lost in the woods and is rescued by a search and rescue team. The video is shown to elementary aged kids and teaches them how to survive in the woods overnight, if they become lost. They are taught how to use an ordinary trash bag as a rain poncho, how to blow a whistle three (3) times as the international symbol for distress and how their shoe prints become a great clue for a search team. They learn about the art of "Man Tracking" and how people can be tracked by looking for and following their shoe prints that have been left behind. In addition to learning survival skills they are also taught about caring properly for pets, how to properly approach a dog, and what to do with pets, during a disaster. The Southwest Panhandle Search and Rescue Auxiliary Team brings their therapy dogs for the kids to see and learn about. The program is in partnership between the search and rescue team and the SRSO. This program has been endorsed by the Santa Rosa Firefighters Association, the Santa Rosa School District, the CEO Roundtable and local law enforcement. It is currently being presented at the schools in our county as well as for scout troops. In February, 690 students (K-2) will receive this program at SS Dixon Primary School in Pace.

On December 9th a Family Wellness Fair was held at the Milton Community Center for families under the Milton Housing Authority and the general public. Informative and educational stations were set up including a Sheriff's Office crime prevention display, the Region 1 Gang Task Force display, Healthy Start, Covenant Hospice and many others. Legal services were provided by Legal Services of NW Florida and employment services were provided by West Corporation. The focus of the event was to emphasize nurturing a healthy, well-rounded Family Unit. The goal was to make Santa Rosa County residents aware of the programs that are available to them and to connect them with the groups that can assist them in striving forward to meet their family's needs in terms of family self-sufficiency. Click here for photos of the event.

Scammers pretending to be with the Jamaican Lottery" have been busy preying upon elderly Floridian, over the last several months, taking advantage of vulnerable seniors who believe that they have hit the jackpot. To avoid the risk of being added to a list of easy targets circulating among a network of thieves, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office is warning anyone who receives a phone call from smooth talking predators to simply hang up. For further information please click here.

Training will be provided for Santa Rosa County physicians on recognizing prescription drug use and habits. The training will be held on January 25, 2012 at the Santa Rosa Medical Center from 5:30-7:00 PM. This training is a follow up to the recent Take Back Drug event and is a specialized training event for local doctors being held in Escambia (Sacred Heart Hospital) and Santa Rosa County. Specialists from Purdue Pharmaceutical Company will be conducting the training to be followed by a Q&A session with the presenters and with local law enforcement officers. Click here for an agenda of the presentation.

Even though the holidays are over unfortunately criminal scams are not! Beware of con artists still plying their trade during the post holiday periods. Click here for safety tips to avoid their clutches.

The following article was published by the National White Collar Crime Center newsletter "the Briefing" (August 2011 Edition). "In recent months, the Internet Crime Complaint Center received numerous reports of scammers trying to extort doctors through threatening emails. IC3 also received complaints about a new scam email using the FBI seal to con victims out of their money. Extortion Emails Targeting Physicians - Since March, IC3 received more than 50 complaints reporting extortion emails targeting professionals, mainly physicians. Victims were told that complaints had been filed against them and posted online, claiming they were facing prison for sexual indecency. Also posted were the victims’ names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses. The victims were told “these types of comments will destroy your reputation and are permanently archived on search engine sites; you will lose thousands of dollars in revenue with a bad reputation.” Victims were also told the sender could “convince the people who posted the comments to remove them.” The catch: a removal fee of $250 was required. IC3 even received complaints from individuals outside the U.S. who were hired to write the complaints about the targeted professionals, collect “complaint reports” and add them to a website. The complainants claimed they were promised $10 per post, to be paid on a weekly basis via an online payment service or check/money order. One complainant reportedly made 150 posts in one week, but was never paid. Workers also stated that the subject uses various aliases and hired another company, which they believe he owns, to remove the complaints. Scams Promising Large Winnings and Threats If Victims Do Not Comply - IC3 received numerous complaints concerning a SPAM email attachment that appeared to be the typical Nigerian 419-type scam. However, this new version contained the FBI seal and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) logo. The letter instructed recipients to contact the EFCC in Lagos, Nigeria at the email address provided to obtain “clearance documents” and asked recipients to provide their full names, addresses and telephone/cell numbers. The letter threatened that if the recipient did not contact the EFCC immediately, FBI Director Robert Mueller “will have an agent come visit you at home for questioning.” The letter asked for $250 to issue the clearance document, and then $1.5 million would be released to the individual. The letter attempted to coerce recipients into cooperating by advising that “failure to provide the above requirement in the next 24 hours, legal action will be taken immediately by arresting and detaining you.” The letter was signed, “Faithfully Yours, Robert S. Mueller III, FBI Director.” In addition, the letter contained cc’s at the bottom to various agencies including the Supreme Court of the United States, U.S. courts of appeals, and U.S. district and circuit courts. For more information about recent scams, or to report online crime, go to www.ic3.gov."

Sheriff Wendell Hall would like the citizens of Santa Rosa County to be prepared to prevent possible burglaries of their homes or businesses. Click here for several safety tips that may be helpful.

At a time of the year when many citizens will be using their "debit cards" to purchase consumer goods, certain "precautions" should be made. Please click here for a list of safety tips.

Parents, please be aware of a new method young people are using today to hide the drug marijuana. Click here for photos of the bracelet.

Sheriff Hall recently promoted Deputy Chris Vance to the rank of Sergeant in November 2011. Sgt Vance has recently served as a Field Training Officer (FTO) in patrol teaching new deputies their duties and responsibilities. The agency wishes Sgt. Vance good luck on his promotion and new duty assignment. Click here for a photo of the promotion ceremony.

Sheriff Wendell Hall proudly announced the deputies who were selected for "Deputy of the Quarter" for their respective districts for October 2011 based on their exemplary service to the agency and the community. Please click here for a photo of the ceremony.

Deaths related indirectly or directly to prescription drugs are on the rise in the State of Florida. For current statistics please click here.

Please click here to review the new 2011 Florida State Statutes passed by the state legislators. Many of them take effect on July 1, 2011.

Pensacola State College has officially opened their 911 Dispatcher Training Program that will train all emergency dispatchers in the Escambia and Santa Rosa County area. Responding to recent legislative requirements all dispatcher are required to receive over 200 hours of training for new employees as well as those already employed under five years. The new coordinator is veteran dispatcher Sean Lee from the Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office. New classes are set to go and have been coordinated with all local law enforcement, fire departments, EMT agencies, and any other department that employees emergency dispatchers. Click here for an inaugural photo of PSC first class as they inspect the Baptist Hospital Life Flight and crew.

How are today's teenagers keeping hidden alcohol from the parents, teachers, and law enforcement officer? To learn the answer click on the following website from the Ford Motor Company to discover their techniques.

Sheriff Hall congratulates Deputy Robert Kirkland for receiving his Associate of Arts Degree from Kaplan University in the field of Criminal Justice in August 2011.

During this time of year there are numerous scams perpetrated on the citizens of Santa Rosa County. Please click here to learn more about some of these scams to better prepare yourself and your family against them.

Sheriff Hall would like to alert the community to another type of fraud that is taking place, especially this time of year. Traveling bands of thieves setting themselves up as various types of "con" men in order to fraud citizens out of their money. Please click here for more information.

Cyber criminals appear to have no conscious and will do just about anything to steal your identity, your bank account and your credit information. Although there are a number of laws against spam around the globe, criminally motivated spam continues to cripple our computers making us vulnerable to abuse. The Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office encourages you to utilize these simple safety tips to avoid online fraud through spam. For more information please click here.

The Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office is urging residents to "beware" of an emerging form of Internet scam that cyber criminals are using to trick Microsoft users into believing their computer may be vulnerable to an attack. For more information click here.

Sadly, thousands of American teenagers are killed and maimed on the nation's highways due to underage drinking. Thousands of others begin their criminal careers by graduating from alcohol to other drugs and intoxicants. Please assist your local law enforcement by reporting this illegal activity before it escalates into something more dangerous and irreversible. Click here to report underage drinking to the Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office.

Each year every Sheriff's Office in the State of Florida completes an annual report outlining their accomplishments and crime rates during the previous year. Each division within the agency is reviewed along with the personnel in managerial positions. To review the Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office Annual Report please click here.

Sheriff Wendell Hall has invited another group of Santa Rosa County citizens to learn first hand what the life of a law enforcement and detention deputy is like. Forty citizens are meeting every Thursday night from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM for a period of twelve weeks covering a variety of interesting topics. The purpose of the class is to teach our citizens about the problems of modern law enforcement today and how citizens can play an integral role in the criminal justice system. The students are being exposed to such topics as jail operations, property and evidence, field training, K-9 operations, officer equipment, patrol operations, DUI enforcement, intoxilizers, sexual investigations, crime scene, search and seizure, meth labs and narcotics, SWAT operations and intermediate weapons to include such things as Tasers, OC spray, control sticks, and defensive tactics. Students will have an opportunity to fire several weapons on the agency's gun range and drive an obstacle course wearing the "DUI goggles". The next scheduled class will begin on January 26, 2012 and will end on April 12, 2012. If you're interested in joining us please download the attached application and send it to the address noted on the form. For photos of the last class please click here. Class times run from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM on Thursday nights. Light refreshments are served. The next class dates are January 26; February 2, 9, 16, 23; March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; and April 5, 12.

One of the greatest dangers facing the modern driver today is the advent of the cell phone. Drive down any highway or road in America today and you will see thousands of drivers talking on their cell phones while operating a motor vehicle, many times at high speeds. However, to make matters worse is the act of actually texting while driving. This requires the driver to take their eyes off the road and to concentrate on typing out a tiny message on a miniscule screen. Knowing that it takes only seconds of inattention to create a catastrophic accident does not deter the drivers in the least. Sheriff Wendell Hall would like for you to take a few minutes to view this video and to remind the citizens of Santa Rosa County to please drive without texting!

Sheriff Hall has urged all local businesses to take advantage of a new program to help keep them safe. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has entered into a partnership with Florida's seven Regional Domestic Security Task Forces and has launched "BusinessSAFE" to provide businesses of all types and sizes with new tools to keep them protected. Businesses have the option of registering to receive electronic alert notifications by email, cellular phones, or PDA's. These alerts will provide information about breaking news, possible threats, suspicious activity, and specific preparedness and prevention techniques for your business. To sign up log on to www.fdle.state.fl.us at no costs to the business. FDLE will periodically send out electronic alerts although each business can access pertinent materials on the FDLE website at any time. For more information go to http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/BSafe/ or you call FDLE at 850-410-8690.

Emergency Numbers on Cell Phones

Sheriff Hall is urging everyone to take a moment and consider adding an ICE (In Case of Emergency) number to their cell phones. June is National Safety Month and it is the perfect time to ICE your phone as an easy and quick way to save a life. To make this even simpler his agency has developed a MAD form (click here to access) for you to complete and give to your emergency contact that is attached to the alert. Please feel free to copy as many of these as you need and encourage your family and friends to ICE their phones. As an added safety measure you can place a copy in our wallet and in your glove box.

Sheriff Offers Citizens Firearm Safety Class

The Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office will hold another firearm safety class for the citizens of Santa Rosa County to familiarize them with the Florida Statutes as well as the safe operation of their handguns. Lt. Jim Killingsworth will teach the class at the Sheriff's Office Firearms Range. Successful completion of this course can be used when applying for a "concealed weapons permit". Each participant will need to bring their own handgun and no more than fifty (50) rounds of ammunition. The four hour course consists of classroom instruction and actual firing on the range. No firearms are allowed in the classroom unless directed by the instructor. An application is required for registration plus a background record check on all participants. The next scheduled class will be held on Saturday from 8:00-12:00 PM, January 21, 2012 (Class Full). All participants MUST be at least 18 years of age. All citizens interested should download an application by clicking on the link: Citizen Firearms Training. Mail the application to: Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office, Training Division, 5755 E. Milton Rd., Milton, FL 32583.This class is offered to the citizens of Santa Rosa County by Sheriff Hall at no costs. Please fax your application to 850-983-1238. Classes are also set for Saturday April 21, 2012 (Class Full), July 21, 2012, and October 20, 2012.

In compliance with H.R. Bill 218, Sheriff Wendell Hall is extending an invitation to all area law enforcement officers to meet their requirement on the sheriff's office range. Bill 218 was passed stating retired law enforcement officers may carry a handgun without a permit by meeting certain standards. The Criminal Justice Standard and Training Commission of the State of Florida states that retirees must have a picture ID from the agency from which they retired. The ID card must state their retired status. The new law only applies to law enforcement officers that had statutory arrest powers. A "Firearm Proficiency Verification Card" in combination with their retired law enforcement ID card will allow them to carry a concealed handgun without a permit. Firearm qualification dates are as follows: Classes will be conducted on January 23, 2012, April 23, 2012, July 23, 2012, and October 22, 2012. All class times will begin promptly at 8:00 AM. As the participants arrive at the range, their handgun must be secured in a holster or some type of case that can be carried by hand. The handgun is not to be carried "out in the open." The qualification course will consist of forty (40) rounds. To pass, the participant must demonstrate proficiency of at least 80% (32 of 40 rounds in the scoring area). Bring the appropriate amount of ammunition as the proficiency requirement is to be demonstrated once. During the qualification, the participant's handgun must be in a holster that they can wear on their body and draw from. If the participant is shooting a semi-auto pistol, they need at least two (2) magazines capable of holding at least six (6) rounds each. At least one speed loader is required if a revolver will be used. Due to limited space, reservations are required. You must make your reservation in person at the Sheriff's Office with the training division and bring your agency ID. At that time a copy will be made of your ID and an affidavit of retired status will need to be signed. If you have any questions please call the Training Division at 983-1234. If you have taken this course from us before we probably already have your paperwork so just call 983-1234 and talk with Sheryl.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has added an option to their D.A.V.I.D. (Driver and Vehicle Information Database) system so that Florida drivers can add emergency contact information to their database. The purpose of the program is so that the families of drivers involved in accidents can be contacted quickly and notified of the whereabouts of their loved ones. Any driver can input their emergency contact information by logging on to the following website and entering the required information: