Call takers are extensively trained to gather specific information very quickly in order to determine the nature of your call. Asking pertinent questions, which may seem redundant, is actually in your best interest; this questioning allows us to provide our citizens the absolute best service possible.

Rest assured, in the event of a true emergency, a deputy, fire truck or ambulance is already enroute to the scene while the operator is still gathering facts.

Yes, you can. There is no requirement to give your name or address when making a call to the Sheriff's Office, however, it is extremely helpful if the responding deputy has someone to contact upon arrival, or via phone, to get further information to effectively address the problem.

No. The moment you are concerned about a person's whereabouts is the time to call.

Response times are affected by several variables, including the time of day the call is received and the sheer number of calls at any given moment. The number of deputies needed at a particular call and the urgency of the call also factor into play. All requests are assigned a priority based on the seriousness of the incident and the potential for injury or property damage. At times, calls of a less urgent nature must be delayed so deputies can respond immediately to emergencies.

From start to finish, you should expect the process to take two to three months.

You need to be state certified, which involves completing the Law Enforcement or Corrections Academy. There are two local academies: WTI (Withlacoochee Technical Institute) in Inverness (352-726-2430) or, PHCC (Pasco Hernando Community College) in Dade City (352-567-6701). They can provide specific details to help you make that first step.

**If you have prior experience out of state- you will likely need to attend a portion of the Law Enforcement or Corrections Academy in order to become Florida State Certified. Please contact one of the numbers listed above.

Candidates will sign an agreement stating they do not now, and will not in the future, use any tobacco products. You will not have to submit to a blood test. Violation of policy may result in disciplinary action and/or possible termination.

There are several steps you can take.

Encourage your child to tell you what happens at school. After speaking with your child, determine if you need to contact your child's school guidance department, administration or a school resource officer. Take notice of problems when they are small- pay attention to your child's behavior. If possible, volunteer at school so that you can stay aware of potential problems. Remember, if you act upset, your child is likely to get upset too. Approach school officials or other parents in a calm, respectful way, you're more likely to get a positive response.

As parents, we expect schools to provide an environment that is emotionally and physically safe for our children. Your first step should be talking to your child so that you have a clear understanding of the problem. Talk to the school guidance counselor or school administration, all schools have programs that address bullying. If your child is in middle or high school, you may also contact the School Resource Officer.

Children will be released to individuals who are authorized on the student's emergency care card or have prior written parent authorization for the current school year. Schools also require photo identification when the child is released at the parent-child pick up area. Parents are responsible for the accuracy of the information on their child's emergency care card.

The Hernando County Sheriff's Office works closely with the School Board to ensure the safety of all students. There is a team of specially trained school resource officers that are assigned to certain schools in the county; their jobs include security, education and joint training with the school administration. We also conduct random security checks of all schools with both marked and unmarked units.

Please call the Hernando County Sheriff's Office non-emergency number at 352-754-6830.

The main administrative office is located at 18900 Cortez Blvd. in Brooksville. The District 2 office is located at 7499 Forest Oaks Blvd. in Spring Hill The Hernando County Detention Center is located at 16425 Spring Hill Dr. in Spring Hill.

Article 1 section 21-3 of the Hernando County Ordinances addresses solicitation upon medians, streets and highways. The purpose of this section is to prevent damages to persons or property, to prevent delays and to avoid interference with traffic flow. A violation of this section may result in a civil fine of up to $500.

Family Help is a Juvenile Justice program designed to assist families who have a child that is truant, runaway or displaying at-risk behaviors. Services are aimed at preventing youth from entering the child welfare and/or juvenile justice system by providing an array of services to strengthen the family.

Family Help is part of the state wide Child-in-Need-of-Services and Families-in-Need-of-Services (CINS/FINS) program. Services are offered to both the child and the family and cases are managed by Youth and Family Alternatives. For more information, please call Carolyn Kehr at 352-523-5020, or visit www.yfainc.org.

Respite Care is offered by the New Beginnings Shelter. The shelter offers 24/7 care for youths, usually available for the duration of 1-14 days. The phone number for New Beginnings is 352-540-6015.

Chapter 776 of the Florida statutes specifies what you can or can't do in lawful self-defense. The chapter is entitles "Justifiable Use of Force".

Please refer to Florida State Statute 791.01.

No. Florida State Statue 316.614(4)(b) states the seatbelt must be worn in the proper fashion.

In order to be exempt from wearing a seat belt, a person must have a certified note from their physician exempting them from wearing a seat belt. Please keep the note with you while you are riding in a vehicle.

Yes. A bicycle is defined as a vehicle by Florida Statute.

The exchange of information is sufficient and a report is not needed. Simply call your auto insurance company to file a claim (if needed).

No. Your driver’s license and vehicle registration both expire at midnight on the expiration date displayed on the document.

Motor scooters with a seat must be titled and registered to operate on the roadway. A valid driver’s license is required. Motor scooters without a seat cannot be titled or registered in Florida, and cannot be operated on the roadways or sidewalks of this state.

Yes. A lot of local law enforcement agencies reverted to using unmarked vehicles for traffic enforcement. This allows us to observe driving patterns more effectively.

No. Most of the money goes to the state government and only a few dollars goes to a law enforcement training fund.

Hernando County Clerk of Courts
Traffic Department - Room 217
20 North Main Street.
Brooksville, FL 34601

No. After completion of the school and you receive the certificate from a certified MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) school, you need to take your certificate to the Department of Motor Vehicles to have the proper "motorcycle" endorsement added to your driver’s license.

Call the Sheriff’s Office immediately while observing a drunk driver. You can dial 911 or call the non-emergency number (352-754-6830). Try to provide the dispatcher with a location, vehicle description, tag number and direction of travel while observing from a safe distance.

An injunction is a court order signed by a judge that can be served and or enforced by law enforcement. Injunctions fall into five different categories. They are:

• Injunction for protection against domestic violence
• Injunction for protection against dating violence
• Injunction for protection against sexual violence
• Injunction for protection against repeat violence
• Injunction for protection against stalking or cyber stalking
  (Note: this is a new statute, FS 784.0485. Forms and informational brochures are not yet available. Injunctions for protection against repeat violence are currently being utilized for this purpose)

An Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence may be issued against a spouse or former spouse, a person related by blood or marriage, a person which you are presently living with or have formerly lived with as if a family, or against someone with whom you have a child in common, regardless whether you were ever married to that person or lived with them. If a person falling into one of these categories has committed a crime against you resulting in physical injury or that person has placed you in fear with words or physical acts.

An Injunction for Protection Against Dating Violence may be issued against an individual whom you have or have had a romantic or intimate continuing or significant relationship. This relationship must have existed in the past six (6) months, must have existed over time on a continuous basis and must be described as an expectation of affection or sexual relation. A parent or legal guardian may obtain an Injunction for Protection Against Dating Violence on behalf of a minor child who is living at home if they have been an eyewitness to, or have direct physical evidence or eyewitness affidavits about the facts which are the basis for the petition.

An Injunction for Protection Against Sexual Violence may be issued if you are the victim of sexual violence or the parent or guardian of a minor who is living at home and is the victim of sexual violence. Sexual Battery is defined in Chapter 794, Florida Statutes. In order to get an injunction for Protection Against Sexual Violence, you must have reported the incident to a law enforcement agency and must be cooperating with any criminal proceedings, if there is one. You may also seek an injunction if the respondent went to prison for committing one of the sexual violence crimes as defined in Chapter 794, Florida Statutes against you or your minor child living at home and respondent is out or will be getting out of prison within 90 days of the filing of your petition.

An Injunction for Protection Against Repeat Violence may be issued if someone has committed two separate acts of violence or stalking, one being within the last six months, against you. The Injunction for Protection Against Repeat Violence is available for those individuals not covered by the Domestic Violence Injunctions. For additional information on obtaining an injunction and what is needed to obtain an injunction you may contact the Clerk of the Court-Family Law Division located in room 246 of the County Government Center or you may contact the Family Law Division at (352) 540-6336. Additional information is available at the Clerk of the Court website, www.hernandoclerk.com

A petition (application) for an injunction for protection against domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence, and repeat violence is available through the Clerk of the Court. Employees for the Clerk of the Court are available to help. Simply tell the clerk you are there to file a petition for an injunction and they will point you in the right direction. You may also contact the Clerk of Domestic Relations Office at (352) 754-4201. Once the injunction is signed by a judge it can then be served and/ or enforced by law enforcement. For additional information on obtaining an injunction and what is needed to obtain an injunction you may contact the Clerk of the Court-Family Law Division located in room 246 of the County Government Center or you may contact the Family Law Division at (352) 540-6336. Additional information is available at the Clerk of the Court website, www.hernandoclerk.com

With custody rights, everything starts and ends with the court order. Law Enforcement can appear to prevent an assault, public disturbance or property damage. An officer may not enforce a court order issued by another state unless the court order has been domesticated. A court order is only enforceable by law enforcement if the order specifically directs a law enforcement officer to take some action . Keep in mind many scenarios may present themselves to officers who are called to the scene of a child custody dispute. Any person can be subject to arrest if that person is in violation of child custody laws in regards to F.S.S. 787.03.

The Clerk of the Court’s County Civil Department, 540-6445, located in Room 248 at the Courthouse as well as the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office Civil Department, 797-3642, may be contacted to obtain information in regard to landlord/tenant issues and evictions. Additional information is available at the Clerk of the Court website, www.hernandoclerk.com. In some circumstances, an attorney may need to be contacted for assistance. If a violation of criminal law has possibly occurred, law enforcement should be contacted.

Call HCSO (352)754-6830 and ask for Records to see if the report is ready for pick up. Have your case number handy. Some reports are confidential by law and cannot be released to certain individuals so as to protect the identity of a victim(s). An example of a confidential report is a report of a child abuse. If it is a reported child abuse and NO arrest was made; only parents of victim, victim, suspects, suspect parents and/or attorney representing client w/proof can have a copy. Certain confidential information will be blackened out per public record law (Chapter119). The complainant of these confidential reports cannot have a copy and neither can grandparents. You must also show proof (photo identification) of who you are to obtain a copy of said confidential reports. Accident reports are confidential for the first 60 days, unless you are involved in the crash and listed on the accident report. You must also bring photo identification (driver’s license) showing proof of who you are when picking up the report.

Copies of requested reports require a minimal fee when the photocopies exceed nine pages (and to include the first nine pages) as follows:

• Standard 8½ x 11 inch paper - $ .15 per single side sheet, .20 per double-side sheet
• 8½ x 14 inch paper - $ .15 per single side sheet, .20 per double side sheet.

Note: A victim involved in a criminal offense may obtain copies of a report at no cost.

A LOCAL background check is the ONLY type of background check that the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office provides. This service is free of charge. Fill out the form which the Sheriff’s Office provides with your full name, (any/all names the individual has had since birth), date of birth, and social security number of individual requesting the background check. Local means the background check will only cover arrests made by Hernando County Sheriff’s deputies. This background check does NOT include arrests made by the Brooksville Police Department or Florida Highway Patrol even if arrested in Hernando County and held in the Hernando County Jail.

As a courtesy to the Citizens of Hernando County we have gun permit application packets at the following two locations:

Hernando County Sheriff’s Main Office
18900 Cortez Blvd
Brooksville
352 754-6850

Hernando County Sheriff’s District II Office
7499 Forest Oaks Blvd
Spring Hill
352 688-5000

The Hernando County Sheriff's Office does not process the applications; the State of Florida provides this service.