Lee County, Florida Sheriff's Office

The Lee County Sheriff's Office is located in Fort Myers, Florida. Founded in 1887, the Office of the Sheriff has a duty to enforce both the Florida State Constitution and Florida State Statutes, and to provide for the security, safety and well being of its citizens. This is accomplished through the delivery of law enforcement services, the operation of the Lee County Jail, and the provision of court security. The Office of the Sheriff functions as the Executive Officer of the court.

Mike Scott was elected as the county's 12th sheriff in 2004. Under Florida law, The Sheriff is defined as a "constitutional officer" and derives his legal authority from the Constitution of the State of Florida. The Sheriff is vested with the ability to appoint and direct deputies who will act in his name and office to enforce the appropriate and applicable laws of the State of Florida. Those deputies of the Lee County Sheriff's Office who are Certified Law Enforcement officers must maintain a thorough working knowledge of the laws they enforce and the underlying principals from which they emanate.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office Headquarters is located at 14750 Six Mile Cypress Parkway, Fort Myers, FL 33912.

About the Sheriff

Sheriff Mike Scott was elected in 2004 following 18 years in local law enforcement. Sheriff Scott holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of South Florida in Tampa and a Master's Degree in Business Administration from IMPAC University in Punta Gorda, Florida. A third generation native of Lee County, Sheriff Scott is married with two children. He is running for a second term in 2008.

Notable Achievements

Since being elected Sheriff in 2004, Sheriff Scott and the entire agency have been able to take credit for a number of high profile achievements:

2005

•Opened Central (Echo) District Office

•Opened Island Coastal Office at Cape Harbour

•Added a third resident Deputy to Captiva Island

•Added a fourth resident Deputy to Boca Grande

•Instituted Community Service Aides (CSA’s)

•Implemented Human Trafficking Unit

•Implemented Corrections Bureau Investigative Unit

•Eliminated numerous take home vehicles and formed pool vehicle procedure

•Corrections Emergency Response Team (CERT) trained in firefighting

•Restructured false alarm fees

•Recalled “honorary” wallet badges from non law enforcement recipients

•Introduced fitness challenge for agency members

•Debut of “Operation Crackdowns” resulting in record traffic enforcement

•Added Spanish and German to their website

•AED program with the American Heart Association for defibrillators

•LCSO named as one of Network World’s 50 All-Stars for technology

•Gun Range dedicated and opened

2006

•Operational implementation of COMPSTAT

•Upgraded Aviation with the acquisition of two (2) Eurocopter A-Stars

•Terrorism Task Force Vessel was acquired via Homeland Security Grant

•Proposed and enacted ordinance for Sex Offenders in public shelters

•First law enforcement agency in Southeastern US to adopt the CASE (Communities Against Senior Exploitation) Program

•Project Lifesaver implemented using electronic locators for missing persons

•Zebra uniforms for inmate trustees

•Relocated Civil Division to Downtown Fort Myers closer to Justice Center

•Opened Dunbar Community Policing Annex Office

•LCSO is appointed co-chair of the Regional Domestic Security Task Force

•New records set for traffic enforcement

•Agency earns “Meritorious Accreditation Award” from CALEA

•Record narcotic seizures and arrests including aggressive approach to marijuana grow houses

2007

•Implemented “off site” roll calls

•Braille inmate program

•Sheriff’s Youth Athletic League

•Cell phone consolidation

•First ever LCSO Open House

•Rather than 4.7% pay raise across the board, high salaries got less while lower got more

•State of the art Mobile Command Center

•First in state to implement sex offender registration fee

•LCSO elected to Florida Sheriff’s Association Board of Directors

•3rd consecutive record breaking year for traffic enforcement

•Numerous marijuana grow house operations dismantled, record seizures

Agency Structure

There are five (5) distinct operational units under the Sheriff known as Bureaus. Those Bureaus are Patrol, Criminal Investigations, Administration, Special Operations, and Corrections. Each Bureau consists of divisions, sections and units with specific functions and responsibilities. In addition, the Chief Deputy has been assigned the direct responsibility of several operational units under the direction of the Sheriff.

The LCSO serves the entire county, but mainly holds jurisdiction in parts of Fort Myers, North Fort Myers, San Carlos Park, Bonita Springs, Lehigh Acres, Estero, coastal communities like Pine Island and Fort Myers Beach, and other areas of the county that are not incorporated or fall into the jurisdiction of the Fort Myers or Cape Coral Police departments.

Jurisdiction is broken down into six (6) districts: Alpha (North Fort Myers and parts of Cape Coral), Bravo (mainly Lehigh Acres), Charlie (parts of west Fort Myers and into Cape Coral), Delta (areas south of Fort Myers, including Bonita and San Carlos Park), Echo (portions of South Fort Myers near the Southwest Florida International Airport, includes Gateway), and Gulf (island coastal communities like Fort Myers Beach).

Each district has its own headquarters. The District Headquarters of the Sheriff's Office are full-service divisions very similar to small police departments. Each district is open 24 hours a day, and offers the following services:
*Patrol Deputies - Handle a wide variety of duties from helping with simple directions to situations such as murders and hostage-taking.
*Detectives - Handle all property crimes and misdemeanor cases.

ee also

*List of law enforcement agencies in Florida
*List of U.S. state and local law enforcement agencies
*Sheriff (Florida)

External links

* [http://www.sheriffleefl.org Lee County Sheriff's Office]