A detention sergeant at the Pinellas County Jail was demoted to the rank of deputy after he took a television out of an inmate pod to punish unruly inmates, then misrepresented the damage he had done to the television in the process, according to memorandums released this morning by the sheriff's office. Former Sgt. Shane Stradley was also suspended for 80 hours, the memorandums say. ...more

February 26, 2009

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is investigating 13 to 20 car break-ins that occurred overnight in a residential neighborhood in Madeira Beach, authorities said. There also might have been a few additional car burglaries in nearby Indian Shores. ...more

February 23, 2009

Jocks Doing Steroids With two wars and a failing economy I find it impossible to understand why time is wasted in Congress and on the news with these overpaid, underworked jocks doing steroids. They receive no punishment other than a slap on the wrist and told don't do it again. Then they go out and continue to pull in multimillion-dollar salaries. So why even bother. I am sick and tired of hearing about it. It makes no difference to anything vital to this country's well-being. If the baseball commissioner can't handle the problem, MLB should be abolished and they should all get jobs at McDonald's. It wouldn't hurt America at all. ...more

February 22, 2009

The condition of a teenager involved in a fatal crash that killed a veteran Hernando County law-enforcement officer has been upgraded today, from critical to serious, troopers said. ...more

February 21, 2009

With almost half his life spent carrying a gun and badge, Capt. Scott Bierwiler had some stories to tell. ...more

February 21, 2009

A teenager involved in crash in Brooksville on Thursday that killed a Hernando County Sheriff's Office captain is listed in critical condition, troopers said. ...more

February 20, 2009

Three people whose prank of putting a chair on Interstate 4 in the middle of the night and causing the death of a Longwood police officer will go to prison. ...more

February 20, 2009

There's still no word on when a policy will be completed that bans non-platonic relationships between Hernando County Sheriff's Office deputies and employees. ...more

February 18, 2009

Largo police have surveillance video of the suspect before he robbed Baylife Pharmacy on Saturday night. And, thanks to an alert citizen, they know the license plate of the get-away vehicle. Largo police even have a name. ...more

February 16, 2009

A 57-year-old man has been extradited from Illinois to face charges that he was drunk when he was involved in a wreck last year in Largo that left a motorcyclist dead and led to the motorcyclist's passenger losing a leg. James Laier was booked into the Pinellas County Jail this morning on charges of driving under the influence-manslaughter and DUI-serious bodily injury. Bail was set at $55,000. ...more

February 16, 2009