The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) serves as the primary law enforcement agency for Hillsborough County, Florida, covering 888 square miles (2,300 km2) of unincorporated areas. The current sheriff is Chad Chronister. The office has one of the lowest officer-to-citizen ratios in the state with 1.4 deputies per 1000 citizens. The national average is 2.3 per 1000.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister has served as sheriff since 2017, after working in the sheriff’s office for 32 years.
Chad Chronister's Nomination and Withdrawal from the DEA
Last week, President-elect Donald Trump nominated the twice-elected Hillsborough County Sheriff to lead the DEA. Upon the announcement, he described the opportunity as “the honor of a lifetime,” and Trump lauded Chronister’s track record, highlighting his efforts to maintain public safety in Hillsborough County.
However, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister has withdrawn his nomination to serve as Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), he announced Tuesday on social media. "To have been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump is the honor of a lifetime," Chronister wrote. He added, "There is more work to be done for the citizens of Hillsborough County and a lot of initiatives I am committed to fulfilling.”
However, the New York Post reports that Chronister’s withdrawal was forced by Trump following backlash over the sheriff’s controversial 2020 arrest of Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne for holding services in violation of COVID-19 lockdown orders. Critics, including Republican lawmakers, opposed Chronister’s actions, which Trump reportedly viewed as incompatible with his administration’s principles.
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Chronister's Background and Initiatives
Chronister, a University of Phoenix graduate and FBI National Academy alum, has overseen various initiatives, including co-chairing Tampa Bay’s Regional Domestic Security Task Force. Beyond his law enforcement career, he is married to Nikki DeBartolo, daughter of former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. Chronister boasts a net worth of $24 million, according to his state financial disclosure form. The pick highlighted President-elect Trump’s reliance on Florida’s political landscape to shape his incoming administration, solidifying the Sunshine State’s increasing influence in Washington.
Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office: Operations and Structure
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) is responsible for law enforcement services for the 888 square miles (2,300 km2) of unincorporated areas of the county as well as operation of the two jail facilities and provides courthouse security for the 13th Judicial Circuit. Each of the three incorporated cities (Tampa, Plant City, and Temple Terrace) has its own police agency. The sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer of the county.
In 1986, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) accredited the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies wear dark green trousers with a black stripe on the sides. The shirt is a white poly-cotton button-down with chest pockets, epaulettes, and shoulder patches. Deputies wear silver 5-point star badges. Officers above the rank of corporal wear gold badges. A black tie is worn with the dress uniform (long sleeves) and the command staff wear black dress jackets. Black shoes or boots are also worn with the uniform.
Law enforcement deputies must be at least 21 years old and have an associate degree; a combination of high school diploma/ GED and 3 years active duty military; or high school diploma/ GED and 3 years of continuous full-time employment with the same employer. Detention deputies must be 19 years old and have possession of a high school diploma or a GED Certificate. They are responsible for the supervision of inmates in the county jails. They also transport inmates to and from court, prison and other counties.
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The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has approximately 2,067 deputies. As of 2020, law enforcement was 71.4% white, 8.5% black, 15.6% Hispanic, 1.4% Asian, 0.9% native and 2.3% other.
The Department of Patrol Services consists of five district offices serving different geographical areas of unincorporated Hillsborough County. Patrol services are overseen by a Colonel. Each District is commanded by a Major. Patrol squads consist of a Sergeant, Corporal and Deputies. District I is responsible for northern Hillsborough, District II eastern, District III western, District IV southern and District V central. Patrols service the following unincorporated census-designated places.
The Reserve II Deputy Program is a uniformed Sheriff's Office support organization open to all persons age 21 and older, on an equal-opportunity basis. Reserve II deputies work with regular deputies in various assignments. The Reserve Program currently consists of over 110 volunteers.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Communications Bureau is the first point-of-contact for citizens living in unincorporated areas of the county that are seeking emergency or law enforcement services. This is one of the busiest Public Safety Answering Points (9-1-1) in the Tampa Bay area. In a typical year, the Bureau staff answers approximately 1.6 million telephone calls from the public and other agencies, of which approximately 540,000 are received via 911. The Communications Bureau entered approximately 750,000 calls into the CAD system.
In addition to the new CAD system, the Bureau utilizes the Plant Vesta E9-1-1 (enhanced 9-1-1) phone system. The E9-1-1 system automatically displays a map that shows the location of each call.
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The Department of Detention Services is composed of two major facilities and a work release center. The Orient Road Jail has three command areas within the 636,000-square-foot (59,100 m2) facility with a rated capacity of 1,711. The Falkenburg Road Jail opened in 1998 with 768 beds. An expansion of the facility in 2003 added 1,536 more beds to its present rated capacity of 2,304. The Falkenburg Road Jail uses video court and video visitation.
Directly across from the Orient Road Jail, the Work Release Center houses reduced-custody inmates. These inmates may either work at an outside job every day, returning to the facility at the end of the day or they can work as a trustee in various areas of the Sheriff's Office. Trustee labor includes maintaining the facility grounds, food preparation, washing county cars, and sanitation. In 2006, the county saved an estimated $13 million by using trustee labor.
The House Arrest Program is for individuals who are court ordered to remain in their homes during non-working hours. Day Reporting is a program usually dealing with people who have been sentences for minor offenses.
HCSO deputies provide security at Hillsborough County Public Schools. In accordance with Florida law, at least one deputy is stationed at every public middle and high school in Hillsborough County.
Controversies and Incidents
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has faced several controversies and incidents over the years:
- 1967 Riot: In 1967 a black burglary suspect was shot and killed by a white policeman. Long simmering rage ignited the city that was fueled by other problems. Within hours, storefronts were ablaze, and teenagers pelted police cruisers with rocks and bottles. Snipers held police and firefighters at bay. Fearing the violence would turn into another riot situation similar to that of Watts, California, Sheriff Beard asked Governor Claude Kirk to call out the National Guard. The guardsmen exchanged gunfire with rioters but never attacked.
- 2006 Caribbean American Club Arrests: In 2006, sheriff's deputies, along with other law enforcement agencies arrested 52 members of the Caribbean American Club on racketeering charges. Two years later, the court threw out 23 of the cases on the grounds of entrapment.
- 2007 Deputy's Sexual Relationship with a Minor: In 2007, Deputy Roosevelt Givens began a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl. In 2012 the deputy was allowed to resign.
- 2008 Brian Sterner Incident: On 29 January 2008 Quadriplegic Brian Sterner was dumped from his wheelchair as he was being booked for an alleged traffic violation at the Hillsborough County, Florida Sheriff's Office jail facility. Surveillance video showed Sterner tumbling to the floor and officers searching his clothing as he lay prone. The deputy later resigned and was charged with felony abuse on a disabled person after the video was publicized. Charges were dropped when she agreed to a plea deal which she agrees to never work in law enforcement again and does 100 hours of community service with the disabled.
- 2008 Taser Incident: On 11 September 2008, a mentally ill man was hog-tied by three sheriff's deputies and subjected to a number of electrical shocks.
- 2008 DUI Arrests: In 2008, sheriff's deputies and officers from the Temple Terrace Police Department lied on official documents regarding a routine arrest for driving under the influence. Deputy James Glover falsely attested the correct procedures had been followed.
List of Sheriffs
- 1847-1849 John I.
- 1850-1854 B.J.
- 1854-1855 E.T.
- 1857-1858 Dr. William A.
- 1858-1865 William S.
- 1865-1867 John T.
- 1874-1875 I.R.
- 1877-1885 D.
- 1885-1893 James P.
- 1893-1901 Thomas K.
- 1913-1917 William C.
- 1917-1921 Alonzo J.
- 1921-1925 William C.
- 1925-1929 Luther M.
- 1929-1933 R.T.
- 1933-1935 William C.
- 1978-1992 Walter C.
Line of Duty Deaths
17 Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputies died while they were actively employed by the sheriff's office.
- Deputy William E.
- Sergeant Ben P.
- Sergeant Donald C.
- Aux. Sgt. Lee A.
- Deputy James A.
- Deputy Frederick T.
- Deputy Donna M.
- Deputy David A.
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