History

As a constitutional officer, the sheriff in Florida is elected for a term of four years and is governed by the Florida Constitution and the law. The duties of the office are specifically laid out in Chapter 30 of the Florida Statutes. Although the nature and scope of law enforcement have evolved with the rising population and changing times, the sheriff’s core of duties as outlined in Chapter 30 have remained fairly constant over the years.

Primarily responsible for law enforcement and public safety, the sheriff is chief law enforcement officer of the county – Chapter 30 specifically designates the sheriffs as the “conservators of the peace in their counties.” Sheriffs are also responsible for service of all legal process (writs, warrants, subpoenas, and other legal documents) directed to them by the courts or the county commissioners, and in many counties are the sole keeper of the county jail and provider of court security. Here in Pinellas County, the sheriff also provides several other countywide services including Sexual Predator and Offender Tracking (SPOT), Flight, Civil Process, and Misdemeanor Probation.

To aid in executing these duties, the sheriff employs support staff who work throughout the agency in a variety of positions from computer programmer to fleet mechanic. From deputies to support personnel, the over 2,800 employees at the sheriff's office make us one of Pinellas County’s largest employers.

Historical Overview

Voters approved the creation of Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department (as it was then called) in 1912. The early Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office reflected the rough and rural nature of the peninsula at that time. Bootlegging, moonshining, and gambling were daily occurrences and the sheriff’s office was kept busy running after a host of colorful criminals. Jail escapes were not uncommon and newspapers reported how inmates sawed their way through the iron bars with tools smuggled in from the outside.

From the early days until the late 1950’s, deputies drove their own cars, wore plain clothes, and carried their own weapons. The county was divided into several districts, each of which had a Justice of the Peace, to supervise legal matters. There was no centralized jail system. The sheriff’s office enforced the laws alongside the county patrol and various municipal police departments. When judges ran short of citizens in a jury pool, deputy sheriffs were sent out to round up citizens to serve.

In 1959, during the tenure of Sheriff Don Genung, the sheriff’s office took on a modern identity. The sheriff’s office absorbed the county patrol in 1960. A year later, the sheriff’s office bought a fleet of 1961 Plymouth Fury automobiles to serve as patrol cars. Sheriff’s deputies were issued standardized uniforms. A standardized training program was developed, and sheriff’s office personnel were given the benefits of civil service, as well as health and retirement plans. Sheriff’s deputies have countywide jurisdiction, but mainly patrol the unincorporated areas and the cities under contract with the sheriff’s office for primary law enforcement services.

Pinellas County Sheriffs

The following is a chronological listing of Pinellas County Sheriffs: