Episodios
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In this episode we talk with Assistant Communications Center Shift Supervisor April Bonnemann, whose world moves at a mile a minute as she gives deputies the crucial information that keeps them safe in their dangerous job. She might not be on-scene, but she still gets all the stories, from the man who caught an alligator in the bedroom with his wife, to the hopeful Romeo who stole a semi-truck to pick his lady friend up when she was released from the jail. Just how do you stop a fleeing car hauler anyway? For a dispatcher, there’s never a break – she once managed three separate overlapping stolen vehicle calls at once – and now as a supervisor she’s not just responsible for one radio channel, but for all of the activity in the comm center. There’s a lot more going on than you might think when you place that 911 call!
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Mental Health For Heroes
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In this episode we talk with Sergeant Jake Viano, who was raised in Long Beach during the height of gang violence and grew up to become the hero who saved Corporal Matt Aitken’s life when he was ambushed and shot during a K-9 track. As if that isn’t enough, he had a professional baseball career in between. Hear about the life-and-death fashion choices a kid has to make when navigating between the Crips and the Bloods, and how to play baseball when the opposing team calls in gang members to threaten your life if you score again. He was drafted by the Rockies for his killer curveball and changeup, and played locally for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, but eventually his childhood dream of law enforcement lured him to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Hear stories from his time in Narcotics, on the SWAT Team, and as a K-9 handler, including the tale of how a potato became the key piece of evidence in a conspiracy to commit murder. Whether in the ballpark or on patrol, Jake is the one you call for the win.
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Mental Health For Heroes
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You don’t have to do much to become one of the best-known people at the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office – just get shot three times (once in the neck), and fight through surgery, physical therapy, fears of painkiller addiction, and the monsters in your own mind to emerge stronger than ever as a powerful example of how to not only survive but thrive through adversity. Corporal Matt Aitken is best known for that harrowing incident of March 12, 2023, when a routine track turned deadly and he was saved by his K-9 partner Taco and Sergeant Jake Viano. But no one is defined by a single day. Matt is a drummer who wanted to go pro before answering the siren call of law enforcement. He’s a former K-9 handler who is now putting his tactical mind to work in our Training Division. He’s a family man whose strong bond with his daughter reminds him there is light in the darkest days. Above all, he’s a man who understands that it is okay to be broken, to admit that you don’t always know how to navigate what the world throws at you. Join us as we talk with someone who has learned how to use his pain, and now hopes to help others who battle PTSD, sadness, or loss.
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Mental Health For Heroes
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In this episode we talk with Tactical Paramedic Supervisor Joey Greco, who carries guns AND tourniquets. If he ever has to shoot you, he’ll probably be able to save your life afterward. Joey is one of the TacMeds who train with SWAT and accompany them on callouts, positioned in the hot zone. Although he’s not on the entry team, he’s trained to respond under fire if one of the SWAT operators is harmed. Joey began his lifesaving career as an Explorer with Clearwater FD, where at age 16 he responded to his first cardiac arrest. Hear about his SWAT tryouts, going through the same obstacle course as the operators but then having to save a life while the operator candidates rested, and learn how he graduated from New Guy #2 to New Guy #1. We’re proud to say that Joey has gotten first place in the SWAT Roundup TacMed Challenge two years in a row. Since that’s an international competition, does that mean he’s the best tactical paramedic in the world? We like to think so.
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Jana Demperio could have been a professional stand-up comic, but instead she’s a deputy currently working the desk at our North District Station. She’s done Patrol, Street Crimes, Community Policing, and was a School Resource Officer, but thinks that working the desk is at least as challenging as any of those. The public thinks she can fix any problem, has a skewed perception about what constitutes a crime, and is perfectly willing to yell in her ear about it all. But Jana won Deputy of the Year for heroically taking out a wrong-way drunk driver with her own vehicle, crashing head-on to save the motorists behind her… and talked a suspect out of slitting his own throat… so of course she is going to go above and beyond to help anyone who calls. She deals with cases that can be investigated at the desk, or takes preliminary reports for things like harassing phone calls or runaway juveniles, as well as answering questions about civil matters, custody disputes, and neighbor conflicts. Her favorites are economic crimes calls, helping people avoid scams or deal with their painful aftermath. But really, ma’am, she can’t do anything about that chicken. Unless it’s carrying a gun.
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In this episode we talk with Lieutenant Dave Stang, a man so powerful he can lose eight pints of blood – the amount in an average human – and still be standing, a veritable Paul Bunyan who was running a chainsaw in the timber business at age 11, and was hired as a firefighter before he even finished high school. As a young man he never thought about going into law enforcement, but his superhero origin story is full of foreshadowing: as a teen he saved students and teachers from bullies, and even rescued a state trooper in a fight against a huge drunk. His career began in St. Pete, cleaning up a drug-ravaged housing complex, and plucking guns from rioters’ hands. When he came to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office he spent years taking down some of the county’s most violent offenders. He’s been mistaken for the bodyguard to the head of a notorious biker gang, caught an escaped inmate charged with murder, and may or may not have run over our SWAT Supervisor, Sergeant Brian Diebold. Meet the guy who has never lost a fight, but whose wife thinks he has a cushy desk job now that he’s a lieutenant. (Shh… don’t tell her!)
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In this episode we talk with PCSO’s answer to Bones – only better because she’s real! Dr. Meredith Tise is not only a forensic anthropologist, she’s also our Forensic Quality Assurance Coordinator, making sure that our Forensics Division is held to the highest standards. She started in a morgue as a teenager, and her work has taken her from the border to body farms as she perfected her knowledge early in her career. She was involved in the excavation at the Dozier School for Boys, uncovering the remains of children and young men who suffered under terrible conditions and died at that notorious facility. She has also helped bring lost WWII service members home, from a pilot who crashed in a dogfight in Germany, to hundreds of Marines killed on the tiny Pacific island of Tarawa. She’s our go-to expert for any unidentified bones found in the county – even if they’re more often pig knuckles from crab traps than evidence of a homicide. Hear about some of the most fascinating cases she’s worked here at PCSO and in her entire career.
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Suncoast Forensics
History Flight
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In this episode we talk with possibly the happiest man in the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office: Sergeant Jimmy Fortner. He began his career in a super max prison where stabbings, overdoses, hangings, and attacks on guards were commonplace. Now he works at the Pinellas County Jail, which despite the best resources and training can still be fraught with danger. Jimmy is an imposing six-foot-six and 360 pounds but he says he’s never won a fight… even against a Little Person in the Mexican Mafia. Jimmy is a larger-than-life guy who does a lot for the agency, including riding in a helicopter while dressed as Santa. On this episode you’ll hear about how the jail helps psych inmates and the elderly, how to maintain mental health when you work in the jail… and what severed body part he’s had hurled at his chest.
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Mental Health For Heroes
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In this episode we talk with the man himself, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri. It’s hard to believe he was once an innocent young rookie taking calls for noise complaints and trespass warnings, but those who have heard him call out, “Car 1, 10-50,” on his way home know he hasn’t forgotten his roots. Sheriff Gualtieri started out at the Pinellas County Jail and was an officer in Dunedin before joining the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy. Hear stories from his long stint in Narcotics, Find out why he left law enforcement for law school, and learn how he made his way back to PCSO. He’s an honorable man, motivated by a strong sense of right and wrong, respect for the truth, and contempt for bullies. He’s been in brawls, he’s been in pursuits, he’s arrested murderers… which makes him perfectly suited for fighting for law enforcement legislation in Tallahassee. Join us for an intimate conversation with the man who leads the 15th largest sheriff’s office in the country.
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In this episode we talk with SWAT Supervisor, Sergeant Brian Diebold, a man described by many as a tactical genius. A man who isn’t afraid of anything… except joining us on the podcast. Tune in to find out what he reveals about his long and varied career – and then tell us what he’s leaving out! After years of kicking in doors and catching murderers, Brian is now the guy who has to stay back by the Command Bus while his SWAT studs make entry. That’s hard for a man who has made more door entries than all of his current SWAT team combined. With a long litany of career-related injuries maybe he was almost ready to slow down… but his sudden promotion to sergeant took him from tackling bad guys to a desk job overnight. Funny, we still never see Brian behind a desk. Meet the guy who made the Chevy Suburban cool, and find out if SWAT is going to accept the bold challenge that Lieutenant Freddie Hayes and the Corrections Response Team threw down.
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In this episode we talk with Lieutenant Freddie Hayes who according to a reliable source is, pound for pound, the best at just about everything. Of course Freddie himself is the reliable source, but we haven’t found any evidence to contradict him yet. Whether it’s being locked in a pod alone with 80 inmates or wrangling a poop-covered intake, Freddie can do it all. He leads the Corrections Response Team (CRT) which handles the most dangerous situations in the jail. He also oversees the Honor Guard which stands watch over deputies who perish in the line of duty. And he can sing! But despite all this greatness Freddie is – pound for pound – the most humble and hardworking man you’ll meet. Oh, and he’s thrown down a challenge: CRT vs SWAT. Will next month’s SWAT guest pick up that challenge? Tune in and find out!
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In this episode we talk with Assistant Forensic Science Supervisor Rhonda Klein, the “Queen of the Meth Labs” who has processed some of the most interesting – and most disgusting – crime scenes imaginable. From hoarder houses to bodies so decomposed that they’re barely recognizable as human, Rhonda has seen it all. She initially trained as a deputy but later followed her first passion for Forensics – see if that early training prepared her for the moment she was trapped alone at a crime scene with a suspect who was hiding in a closet. You’ll find out if local meth labs are just like Breaking Bad, discover the worst smell in all of Forensics, and learn exactly what that was on the bottom of Rhonda’s boot after she left the crime scene… all on the latest episode of 56.
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In this episode we talk with Deputy Jill Constant of the Marine and Environmental Lands Unit. From rescuing manatees in distress to braving seas that are too rough even for the Coast Guard, Deputy Constant helps keep our waterways safe. After a childhood spent learning the value of preserving natural resources she knew she wanted to combine environmentalism with her desire to put bad guys in jail. Learn how she helped arrest a dangerous carjacker who was much better on land than in water, find out why local snails are safer thanks to her, and much more.
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In this episode we talk with Major Adrian Arnold, who currently oversees our Judicial Operations Bureau but whose 30 year career includes stints in nearly every part of the agency. His entire future was launched with a single trial ride-along in Michigan, but the promise of snow-free winters combined with the idea that being a Florida cop would be a little like Miami Vice lured him to the PCSO. Major Arnold was on the forefront of the Community Policing movement, at a time when law enforcement was starting to realize that a close connection with the community and addressing neighborhood problems like street lighting can make a world of difference in preventing crime. Hear why driving a Mustang for a cruiser isn’t as fun as you’d think, why the sheriff tore up his promotion memo in his face, and how one drunk lady gave him a candy-coated nickname that lasted his whole career.
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In this episode we talk with Analyst Supervisor Jacqueline Danzig, whose team works hand in hand with deputies and detectives to get them the information they need to solve – and even prevent – crimes. When she started her career they were still tracking burglaries by putting pins in maps, but now she and other analysts are much more high tech as they gather facts, uncover details, and spot the trends that can predict the next crime wave. As Danzig says, there are no crystal balls, just data. They’re scientists who make their best predictions, and those percentages she analyzes give law enforcement an advantage. We talk about her work with Threat Management, which strives to get people off the pathway to violence to prevent future crimes. She also talks about the Habitual Offender Monitoring and Enforcement Task Force, which has made a huge difference in preventing the worst teen offenders from committing auto burglaries and thefts. You’ll find out about the future of analysts, and learn why it is almost impossible to get away with any crime these days.
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In this episode we talk with Detention Deputy Anthony LaCorte, who was named the 2022 Detention Deputy of the Year for heroically saving two children who were drowning in rough seas off Anclote Key. Even beyond that moment of heroism, LaCorte is a shining example of a detention deputy. We talk about his philosophies of corrections, including the ways he makes sure inmates never feel dehumanized despite their incarceration. He uses a combination of command presence and humor to maintain order, and has the social and management skills to be the only deputy working in a direct supervision pod with 60 inmates. He works nights in Healthcare, and talks about the mental health and drug addiction crises that have such an impact on the inmates he oversees. Deputy LaCorte dispels the misconception that the jail is a depressing place to work. He says that the camaraderie at his job makes it a place he’s happy to go to every night, and he hopes to encourage more smart, dedicated, ambitious young people see corrections as a good career path.
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In this episode we talk with Sergeant Mike Kilian of the K-9 Unit. In his 33 years in law enforcement he’s seen it all, from a victim disposed of in a wood chipper (see, that doesn’t just happen in Fargo) to a nail-biting SWAT standoff which the barricaded subject promised would be a violent “Waco on the Withlacoochee.” Sergeant Kilian talks about his origins as a naive jail deputy and his time in patrol, SWAT, and as a detective in Narcotics, Burglary, and Homicide before he joined the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit at the advanced age of 40. He talks about the challenges of working at a rural agency like the Pasco or Citrus County Sheriff’s Office compared to his current career in densely populated Pinellas County, and about how law enforcement has changed in the last three decades. And of course we talk about his K-9 partner Eddie, the lovable, high energy German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix who is certified in apprehension and explosives detection. Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office K-9s are trained completely differently than they are at many other agencies, and the result is a team of good-natured dogs who make successful apprehensions with significantly fewer bites.
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In this episode we talk with Detective Ron Chalmers from the Cold Case Unit. He shares some exciting stories of his previous career with the Reno Police Department – everything from the origin of the comedy show Reno 911, to the thrilling SWAT callout that sent him running into gunfire to try to rescue a fallen officer. You’ll also hear about two recent cold cases he solved since joining the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, both of which were solved with the help of genetic genealogy, which uses DNA to find close familial ties and identify John Does or even murder suspects. In the 2016 Bay Pines John Doe case, Detective Chalmers tell us how years of diligent work from many detectives finally solved the case of an unknown veteran whose remains were found on the wooded grounds of the VA. He also talks about his most exciting recent arrest in the 1987 murder of an elderly woman who was found beaten to death in her home. Tune in to learn about the clever investigative techniques that brought this murderer to justice.
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PCSO Cold Cases
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Welcome to 56: A Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Podcast. Three curious and well-informed civilians – Ricky, Laura, and Ashley – will find the most interesting people and fascinating stories from all around the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and bring you a podcast you’ll never forget.
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