It takes a strong person to work for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's office

In a recent trip to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Department, I witnessed the mental and physical battles employees face each and every day in an effort to protect the well-beings of people in need. The communications center at the Sheriff’s Department is equipped with advanced technology and its employees are committed to serving others around the clock.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's office is one of the top 10 offices in the country and has an estimated call-volume of one million and a half per year. I was unaware that all the recordings in the communication center are kept and that they are public record. Equally, I was unaware that people can actually be arrested for repeatedly calling the 911 emergency number without needing assistance. One of the most beneficial things I learned from the visit is the Sheriff's office non-emergency number. Brad Herron, of the Sheriff's Department, told us that many callers are unaware that there is a number specifically for emergencies, and one that is for inquiries.

Public Information Officer Larry McKinnon reiterated how Florida is a very liberal state in terms of public records. Hardly anything is private from the media, unless it is a juvenile delinquent arrest document or information relating to a law enforcement officer. McKinnon said police officers are restricted from databases and public records because information could be ascertained by criminals to be used against them. Home addresses, property records and arrest documents are some of the exemptions. McKinnon also recapped how text messages, e-mails, memos, and even copies of an employee’s daily calendar are now available as public records.

Finally, I realized that while Florida does have one of the least restrictive public records reports in the country, there are many loopholes. The 119 statute, as known as the Florida Pubic Records Statute, is a necessary reading for anyone, especially people in the media. McKinnon stated that if knowledge is power, the more someone knows the rules and exemptions of the 119 Statute, the more power they have in obtained resources needed to tell the story.