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MEMBERS OF THE COLLIER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE YOUTH RELATIONS BUREAU POSE FOR A GROUP PHOTO IN THE AUDITORIUM AT BARRON COLLIER HIGH SCHOOL. CCSO WAS
RECENTLY NAMED AGENCY OF THE YEAR FOR 2015 BY THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. PHOTO BY CPL. EFRAIN HERNANDEZ/CCSO.

Simply The Best
CCSO Youth Relations Bureau Named ‘Agency Of The Year’

When Cpl. Luke Arnold showed off his dance moves in a student video, the well- COLLIER COUNTY SHERIFF KEVIN RAMBOSK, LEFT,
liked Youth Relations Deputy saw his popularity soar at Barron Collier High School. PRESENTS CPL. KEN VILA WITH THE 2015 FLORIDA D.A.R.E.
The video has been shared hundreds of times over social media.
OFFICER OF THE YEAR AWARD IN ORLANDO IN JULY. IN
Though he had never danced to “Hit the Quan” before, Cpl. Arnold jumped in full AUGUST, CPL.VILA TRAVELED TO NEW ORLEANS WHERE
uniform and performed the latest trending dance craze. HE WAS HONORED BY D.A.R.E. AMERICA WITH THE 2015
NATIONAL D.A.R.E. OFFICER OF THE YEAR AWARD. PHOTO
But Cpl. Arnold does more than dance. What he is really passionate about is his
position as a Youth Relations Deputy with the Collier County Sheriff ’s Office. His BY CPL. DEBRA GROSS/CCSO
passion is shared by the dozens of deputies in the CCSO Youth Relations Bureau
committed to keeping Collier County Public Schools safe.

“All of the Youth Relations deputies who are working in the schools have a special
cohesiveness in interacting with the kids and parents and school staff,” said Cpl. Arnold,
who taught special education in Collier County Public Schools for 12 years before
switching to a career in law enforcement and joining CCSO.

The passion brought by the deputies helped the CCSO Youth Relations Bureau to
earn the title of “Agency of the Year for 2015” by the Florida Association of School
Resource Officers (FASRO).

It’s the latest in a string of honors recently received by the Youth Relations Bureau.
The Bureau was recognized as one of NASRO’s Model Agencies in 2014. Cpl. Ken Vila,
who has spent his entire law enforcement career in the Youth Relations Bureau, was
named “D.A.R.E. Officer of the Year” for Florida and the nation for 2015.

Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk has helped grow the Youth Relations Bureau
into one of the largest and most qualified school resource officer units in Florida. As the
Bureau has grown, it has integrated new and innovative ideas and programs to further its
effectiveness. This includes incorporating Segway patrollers for quick and efficient access

86 Life in Naples | January 2016