23-111 Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri Attends Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority Board of Directors Meeting

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Patrol Operations Bureau

Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA)

PINELLAS COUNTY – Today, August 23, 2023, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri attended the PSTA Board of Directors meeting to discuss concerns about the SunRunner program and to provide information regarding increased calls for service in St. Pete Beach.

Sheriff Gualtieri provided the following information to the board comparing March through July 2022 to March through July 2023:

• Calls for service increased by 535% at the Dolphin Village Shopping Center from 20 calls for service in 2022 to 127 calls for service in 2023.
• Calls for service increased by 384% at the St. Pete Beach Public Access from 31 calls for service in 2022 to 150 calls for service in 2023.
• Reports of theft in St. Pete Beach have increased by 110%, from 48 to 101.
• In 2023, 19 of the 101 thefts were retail thefts, with 15 of the thefts being from either Publix or 7-11 on Gulf Boulevard in St. Pete Beach.

Due to the increased calls for service and reports of crimes, on July 25, 2023, a special detail was established to respond to the increased complaints, which resulted in the following:

• 52 Arrests
• 132 Trespass Warnings Issued
• 90 Field Interview Reports
• 32 Ordinance Violations Issued

Sheriff Gualtieri also shared statistical data from the Homeless Leadership Alliance Point in Time (PIT) Count comparing the years 2018 and 2023.

• In 2018, there were 2,346 homeless individuals in Pinellas County. Of those, 417 (19%) were chronically homeless.
• In 2023, there were 2,144 homeless individuals in Pinellas County. Of those, 204 (12%) were chronically homeless.
• In 2018, 965 individuals were unsheltered. In 2023, 646 individuals were unsheltered.

Attached are the photos displayed by Sheriff Gualtieri during the meeting.