PAGE 8 - July 15, 2009
THE NEWSCASTER-Nature Coast News
Partners Again
Child Neglect - Continued from page 1
the house "in an extremely deplorable condition," with mounds of clothing, dirty dishes
and debris lying in piles all over the residence. They found old food and dirty dishes in
By Gail A. Tierney, Citrus Sheriff Public Information Officer
From a nationally-recognized School Resource Officer program to the
every room of the house, with the exception of the girl's bedroom.
mandatory Teen Driver Challenge classroom and hands-on instruction, the
As investigators made their way down the hallway, there was a strong odor of
Sheriff's Office and the Citrus County School District have shared a home-
feces in the girl's room and in the room of a second child, a one-year-old girl. They found
grown partnership for more than two decades.
dried fecal matter on the walls of the hallway and on the walls of the 3-year-old girl's room
Starting in this month, their innovative partnering will enter into an entirely uncharted
and also on the two windows of the room. They found a toddler's bed frame under one of
arena. Christened the Citrus County Public Safety Training Center, this new center of
the windows that was covered in fecal matter and a toddler bed, that had no sheets, blankets
learning will replace and expand Citrus County's Law Enforcement Academy that is cur-
or pillows, that was also covered in fecal matter.
rently ensconced at the Withlacoochee Technical Institute in Inverness.
Detectives spoke with the woman who said, that around noon each day, she locked
School Superintendent Sandra "Sam" Himmel and Sheriff Jeff Dawsy nurtured a vision
the little girl in her room for two-and-a-half to three hours and that she did not check on
of how they could join forces, combine resources, foster cost savings and launch a more
her for at least the first hour. She said she is well aware that the child plays with her fecal
effective and efficient facility to train aspiring law enforcement and corrections personnel.
matter, and that the fecal matter on the walls was at least a week old.
What's more, existing public safety personnel would have a multi-purpose venue available
Investigators determined that the girl had fallen approximatley five feet from her
to them for completing their scheduled state-mandated training requirements.
bedroom wndow to the ground when she'd left the home. The woman said she was unsure
Named as the training center's new director, Sergeant Phil Royal, who currently heads
whether or not the window was locked, but the arresting officer locked the window and
up the training unit at the Sheriff's Office, is uniquely qualified to introduce higher stan-
had the child attempt to open it, and she did not have the strength to unlock it. The woman
dards into the academy's operating curriculum. Besides his broad-based training qualifica-
stated, that after locking the child in her room around 12:00 p.m., she had not heard from
tions, Royal's a certified law enforcement officer, paramedic and firefighter.
the child, until law enforcement arrived at her door around 2:30 p.m. The woman told in-
With diversification driving the employment needs of the future, the new director envi-
vestigators that the only food she'd given the child to eat that day was a half-piece of pizza
sions a facility where not only potential law enforcement personnel, but those seeking a
in the morning and another half-piece of pizza at lunch.
career in firefighting or emergency medical services, can receive the best training opportu-
The only food in the refrigerator was a pizza box containing pizza, a box of Ken-
nities in the most cost-effective setting. Future training partnerships with the county's Fire
tucky Fried Chicken, birthday cake and several bottles of various liquors. The detective
Rescue Division and Nature Coast Emergency Medical Services are under consideration.
noted three small packages of meat in the freezer; othar than that, the freezer was filled with
Collaborating with both Himmel and Dawsy in the months preceding the public an-
ice cream.
nouncement of the new training center, Royal strongly agreed that combining resources,
ter Sterilization The reporting deputy reported no signs or remorse or emotion in the caretaker.
such as instructors, trainers, equipment, facilities, budgets and networking capabilities,
She was arrested on a charge of child neglect without causing great harm and transported
was key to the training center's success.
to the Citrus County Detention Facility. Her bond was set at $5000. The two children were
Enhanced standards that Royal expects to bring to the curricula include more stringent
removed from the residence by child protective investigators. Editor's Note: By law the
instructor requirements, reality-based scenario training, practical preparedness, physical
defendent's relationship to the victim(s) is withheld from the media.
fitness expectations, mental preparedness training, career diversity and lesson plans that
Construction for New Airport Entrance Underway
are based on Florida Department of Law Enforcement and state fire standards. As a result,
Construction began Monday on the Watson Street extension project between In-
graduates should be better prepared and better qualified to meet the public safety chal-
verness and Floral City to create a new southern entrance for the Inverness Airport. Some
lenges today and in the years ahead.
preliminary work has already been accomplished, but now all the permits are complete for
Royal is quick to add that newcomers to the training center from Citrus and neighbor-
the major project to proceed. The $949,813 project will extend the present road 4,500 feet
ing counties should expect an educational experience that far exceeds what state standards
to the west from its present dead end. The state Department of Transportation is paying 80
require. He contends that the curriculum can go beyond the minimum requirements with-
percent of the costs. Completion is expected in September or October, and the road will
out making them mandatory. In the end, the direct benefit not only to the cadet, but to the
become the new main entrance for the airport's main facilities.The design for the fixed base
community as a whole, is a higher caliber of public safety professional.
operator's maintenance hanger and apron area is already underway, and the first phase of a
"This is just a really good way of doing business," the sheriff added.
grant for the new runway and taxiway is expected in the coming months.
Gail Tierney is public information officer for the Citrus County Sheriff's Office. She
has been with the agency for 19 years. Comments or suggestions may be directed to Gail
Coastal
Hair Port
at 352-341-7460, or gtierney@sheriffcitrus.org.
at Plaza 40
Carting
Specializing In Well & City Water Purification
s
Shopping Center
ek
Sales & Service
Local Family Owned and Operated
Hwy. 40E, Inglis
Roll-Off Container Service
e ater
(352) 212-0405
Contractors/Homeowners
10-20-30 yd.
Call for Appointment
W
Matment, Inc.
Dumpsters
Walk-Ins Welcome
Tre
Lamar & Big John
Construction Debris
Reverse Osmosis
Yard Waste
&
Whole House Systems
Servicing All Makes and Models
Iron, Sulfur, Tannin, Chlorine, Hardness,
Including Ozone
Family Salon
352-257-2597
Bacteria, Odor, Bad Taste
Men · Women · Kids
Serving Citrus,
Perms · Color · Hi-Lites
Marion & Levy
Locally Owned & Operated
Starting at $45
Licensed & Insured
Womens Cuts - $12
ew email news to: news@thenewscaster.com
352-465-5020
!
Clipper Cuts - $8
N
Foster Perry, Realtor
Yankeetown General Store
7
ERA Suncoast Realty
6611 Hwy. 40W · Yankeetown · (352)447-2532
1206 S.E. U.S. Hwy. 19Crystal River, FL
LAST STOP BEFORE THE GULF
Gun & Ammo Sale
GREAT TIME TO BUY A HOME
Across from Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve
Check Online for Specials at
Lowest home prices & interest
New Owners Welcome You
www.cino.com
rates in many decades!!!!!!
Janice, Jennifer & Billy
Concealed Weapons Class JULY 19th
(352) 795-6811 OFFICE
Live Shrimp & Pinfish
Pre-Registration Required
(352) 257-2181 CELL
Gas & Ice
Equal Housing Opportunity
Chicken, Subs & Beer
(352) 447-8055 HOME
HOURS: Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm (352)447-5595
EMAIL foster233@bellsouth.net
FREE BAG OF ICE WITH PURCHASE OF 100 SHRIMP!
(352) 795-2662 FAX
947 Hwy. 40 East, INGLIS, FL · 1.8 miles east of Hwy. 19 on left
WEBSITE www.ERASuncoast.com