Sheriff Rambosk Sets Priorities For Fourth Term

With his wife Pat by his side, Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk officially entered his fourth term January 5 when he was administered the oath of office by 20th Judicial Circuit Judge Joseph Foster. Sheriff Rambosk took the oath during a brief ceremony in the Collier County Courthouse atrium. Photo by Matt Schipper/CCSO

Making the most of technology to maintain low crime, meeting the needs of the community and keeping up with growth are among the long-term priorities for Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk as he enters his fourth term of office.

Perhaps most significantly, deputies will continue to balance being tough on criminals while maintaining a strong philosophy of partnering with the community.

“Law enforcement agencies can do both – be tough on crime while being community service oriented,” Sheriff Rambosk said. “Our community wants us to be both and I believe we are among the best at it. We are a leader in law enforcement professionalism, we are forward-thinking and we are making a difference.”

In the short-term, Sheriff Rambosk’s priority is helping the community emerge safely from the COVID-19 pandemic. Deputies are continuing to assist the Florida Department of Health by providing security and traffic control at vaccination sites. In addition, with many people suffering from isolation, financial problems or other COVID-related stressors, the agency’s Mental Health Unit will continue to assist those who find themselves in crisis. Sheriff Rambosk recently added two positions to the unit– another deputy and a second David Lawrence Center civilian clinician.

“The best way forward in regard to the pandemic is for all of us to work together,” Sheriff Rambosk said.

Among the Sheriff ’s long-term goals is implementing multiple technological advancements. Later this year the agency will begin to roll out body-worn cameras to deputies. The $2.8 million project supplements the dash-cam systems that are already in place. Also, the agency is currently in the process of transforming existing space into a Realtime Operations Center, or R.O.C. The R.O.C. will help reduce crime by providing real-time information to field units about potential suspects or known felony offenders in an area where a crime may have just occurred. It will also support large-scale incident management teams when we have wildfires, hurricanes or significant incidents in which many deputies are needed.

When it comes to the community’s young people, CCSO will continue to exceed the requirements of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Act, deputies will continue to mentor students and the agency will continue to partner with organizations that help keep at-risk students safe and on the right path. CCSO works closely with organizations including Youth Haven, the Trinity Life Foundation and the NAACP that address the needs of at-riskyoung people.

“I firmly believe that an investment in our young people is an investment in our community’s future,” Sheriff Rambosk said.

Keeping crime low also ranks high on the Sheriff ’s priority list. Collier County is the safest metropolitan county in Florida and the 2019 community crime rate is the lowest since the agency began tracking the figure in 1971.