Sun City Center Security Patrol, Inc.

The mission of the Security Patrol is: "TO DETER CRIME IN SUN CITY CENTER"

Within that mission and through our motto of "See and Be Seen"

The Patrol helps deter crime in our neighborhoods and business districts by creating a patrol presence that is visible and always on the lookout for the unusual. While we have no police authority, the Patrol works in cooperation with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO), and in particular, with its Community Resource Deputies. Browse around this website and you’ll find a sampling of what your Sun City Center Security patrol is about.

The Patrol functions as the 'eyes and ears' of the community. Patrol presence in an area may be sufficient to prevent an impending crime. An inquisitive concern about a suspicious person, action or vehicle may result in the apprehension of criminals or potential criminals by the Sheriff's deputies.

The 2023 Sun City Center Golf Cart Handbook is available Click Here

Security Patrol Cruise Raffle CLICK HERE

The Latest HCSO Safety flyer is available Click Here

For Immediate Release

For more information, contact:
Tim Broad, Chief of Patrol Wilma Norton, VP of Marketing
Sun City Center Security Patrol Community Foundation of Tampa Bay
813 642 2020 813-609-4858
sccsecuritychief@gmail.com wnorton@cftampabay.org

Sun City Center Security Patrol Announces Grant From
The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay

Tampa, FL – Sun City Center Security Patrol is pleased to announce a grant from the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, an organization focused on making a positive impact on the Tampa Bay region. The Patrol is a non-profit organization and is most grateful to receive the grants totaling $30,000 from the Community Foundation, which will go towards the cost of operating the Security Patrol. The Patrol helps deter crime in our neighborhood and business districts by maintaining a visual patrol presence that is on the lookout for the unusual. While the Patrol has no police authority, it works in cooperation with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office (HCSO), and in particular with its Community Resource Deputies. Our vehicles are on patrol 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. All our operations are by local volunteers who drive over 125,000 miles and contribute in excess of 30,000 hours a year to help the community.

The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay has been growing philanthropy in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties since 1990.
The Foundation’s donors have made possible more than $210 million in grants to nonprofit organizations.

About Community Foundation of Tampa Bay: Founded in 1990, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay is a nonprofit organization that connects people and resources to inspire charitable giving and create a meaningful, lasting impact on our region. The Foundation serves Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay connects donors, nonprofits, community and business leaders, professional advisors, volunteers and residents to make the maximum positive impact in the Tampa Bay region. For more than 28 years, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay has been dedicated to making giving easy and meaningful for donors as a way to strengthen nonprofit organizations and build a better, more vibrant community. Since its inception, its donors have enabled the community Foundation of Tampa Bay to award more than $210 million in grants to nonprofit organizations across the country.

Interfaith Social Council (ISAC)

For Immediate Release

For more information, contact:
Tim Broad, Chief of Patrol Denise Chamberlain, Publicity
Sun City Center Security Patrol Interfaith Council
813 642 2020 717 989 2811
sccsecuritychief@gmail.com denise_chamberlain@icloud.com

Sun City Center Security Patrol Announces Grant From
Interfaith Social Action Council (ISAC)

Tampa, FL – Sun City Center Security Patrol is pleased to announce a grant from the Interfaith Social Action Council (ISAC).
ISAC came about through the cooperation of nine houses of worship, having dedicated Nearly New Shop volunteers, caring donors
and the faithful customers of the Nearly New Store, which makes possible the funding of a wide variety of community programs
to improve the general welfare of the entire Sun City Center community by providing help where needed.
The Security Patrol is a non-profit organization and is most grateful to receive the grant of $11,330 from the Interfaith Council,
which will go towards the cost of operating the Patrol vehicles.
The Security Patrol helps deter crime in our neighborhood and business districts by maintaining a visual patrol presence that is
on the lookout for the unusual. While the Patrol has no police authority, it works in cooperation with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s
office (HCSO), and in particular with its Community Resource Deputies. Our vehicles are on patrol 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. All
our operations are by local volunteers who drive over 125,000 miles and contribute in excess of 30,000 hours a year to help the community.
The Interfaith Social Action Council (ISAC) is made up of members of the Beth Israel Jewish Congregation, Prince of Peace Catholic,
Redeemer Lutheran, St. Andrew Presbyterian, St. John the Divine Episcopal, Trinity Baptist, Unitarian Universalist, SouthShore United
Church of Christ, and United Methodist houses of worship. ISAC aims to enhance and benefit the lives of residents and organizations
within the Sun City Center Community through the operation of the Nearly New Store, located at Sun City Center Plaza.

Sign Up To Be A Security Patrol Volunteer

Chiefs Corner

Time for another edition of Chief’s Corner and time is flying by. We are nearly through the summer and certainly no one should complain about a drought this year!
Again this month our permanent resident members are working more hours as our snowbird members are away enjoying cooler climes in the north. August has proven to be a very busy one for active members of the Patrol who maintain our regular patrolling when our snowbirds are away. On average they are working more than eleven hours each month, for which I am most grateful. A big thank you to all our members, permanent and snowbird, who play an important role in minimizing crime in Sun City Center. Our town continues to enjoy having the lowest crime rate in Hillsborough County!

Key happenings in August and September:

a) We have been out and about selling raffle tickets to win a luxury cruise next April, if you fancy a 7day luxury cruise, try your luck and come along to our office, any weekday from 9am to 3pm and get some tickets.

b) The education program on vehicle parking in support of HCSO is continuing. Captains put out cards and the sheriff continues to receive the list of what vehicles were issued cards.

c) A special thank you to those Patrol Members who continue to support Our Lady’s Food Pantry by bringing clean plastic bags and egg cartons to help in the distribution of food to the needy. Please keep them coming, as it is an ongoing need.

d) We had a meeting of our Silver Alert Team on September 29 to confirm members interest in being part of the team. If you were unable to attend the meeting please let myself or Bob Smith know your ongoing interest.

e) The Chief was invited to the 911 Remembrance Service at St John the Devine Church on Sunday the 8th.

f) The entire membership is invited to attend the Blue Mass for First Responders at the Prince of Peace Church on September 17, which will be followed by a reception in the Conesa Center.

The Security Patrol needs more volunteers, especially drivers, and dispatchers. We are currently short of 50 dispatchers and 100 drivers! We are blessed with having wonderful volunteers, many of whom volunteer a lot more than the three hours a month they signed up for.

Our volunteer of the month for August is Debbie Zoeller who worked a total of 11 shifts. Thank you Debbie for your hard work and for all those gift baskets you have put together for us, which we have available to promote the patrol.

Did You Know?

SCC Security Patrol
Help reunite pets with their human family

   Did you know that Sun City Center has a significant number of pets and
many pet lovers. Sometimes pets get separated from their families. The
Security Patrol can facilitate reuniting them.
The Patrol will use available means to reconnect lost/found pets with their
owner.
When a resident finds an apparent lost pet they can notify the Security
Patrol Dispatcher.
1. Dispatchers will check for reports of missing pets and if there is a
      match, advise the owner of where the pet is located.
2. Dispatch takes information from the finder, their address and type of
      pet, color, name, and description.
3. Dispatch gives information to the Captain of the Day (CoD) and driver
     in the area.
4. If requested, the Security Patrol “Chip Scanner” be used.
    a. The CoD goes to the location and scans the pet for an ID chip or
    the finder may bring the pet to the Security Patrol building.
    b. If a chip is found, the finder will call chip organizations to find if
   the ID number has been maintained by the owner.
    c. If no chip is found, the person who found the pet will determine
       what steps they want to take to care for the pet.
    d. Dispatch will record all information in the Dispatch Log.
    e. For the protection of SP members, found pets cannot be allowed
   in the Patrol Building or vehicles; the resident who found the pet
       is responsible for the care of the pet or taking it to someone who can.
    f. Provide resident with information on organizations that may care
      for the pet.
5. Dispatcher records all information in Dispatch Log.
     When a resident has lost a pet they may also contact the Security Patrol.
    1. Dispatch takes information from the pet owner, their address and type
    of pet, color, name, and description.
   2. Dispatch gives information to the CoD and driver in the area.
   3. If a Driver on patrol observes the lost pet, they notify Dispatch who will
      inform the owner where the pet has been observed. Drivers will not
      follow the pet.
   4. Dispatcher records all information in Dispatch Log.
   5. If the pet is later found by another resident and reported to Dispatch,
     the Dispatcher will advise pet owner of where the pet is located.
    Many residents are unaware of the state and county ordinances that relate
    to their pets. A surprise to most pet owners is the majority of ordinances
    apply to all pets, not just dogs. Yes, under the law, cats also need to be on
    a leash when off its owner’s property. Another discovery is the maximum
    length for a leash is 6 feet. Fines start at $100 and go up to $500. (Animal-
    at-Large Ordinance – Article II Sec. 6-28).
Unattended tethering of dogs can result in fines of at least $370 and up to
$1,000. There are several other statutes and ordinances covering pets and
   how we treat them.
Pet owners should enjoy their pets. They also need to be aware of their
responsibilities to our community.

A message from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office
Chad Chronister Sheriff

In just the last two weeks we have seen 4 victims in Sun City Center of the newest “Imposter” scam. People have been victimized for hundreds of thousands of dollars just this year from this “Imposter” scam.
These scams start with a fake notification from a financial institution or government agency informing you that your accounts have been compromised. They claim they’ve intervened in time and that the appropriate authorities have been contacted. Shortly after, you receive a follow-up call from these so-called “authorities,” who will falsely claim to be from the FBI or the Department of Homeland Security. They will tell you that none of your assets are safe and that they’re there to assist you.
They then instruct you to transfer your money into a so-called government escrow account to help trace and catch the criminals. To do this, they’ll ask you to withdraw cash from your bank account and deposit it into what they claim is a “government ATM” or account. In reality, this ATM is a bitcoin machine, and the account is controlled by criminals. Once you deposit your money, it’s quickly transferred by these fraudulent organizations.

Never move or transfer your money to “protect it.” Your money is fine where it is, no matter what they say or how urgently they say it. Moving it means you’ll lose it, not protect it. Someone who says you have to move your money to protect it is a scammer. Period.

Never share a verification code. Ever. Banks use these codes in online banking to prove you’re really you. If you share that code, the scammer can use it to prove they’re you. No caller — especially someone from your bank’s fraud department — will ever ask for the verification code. That’s always a scam.

Stop and check it out. If you’re worried, call your real bank, broker, or investment advisor. Use the number you find on your statement — never the number the caller gave you, which will take you to the scammer.

Report it. If you get a call like this, tell your bank or fund right away. Especially if you moved money or shared a verification code.

REMEMBER: as with any phone call, text message, email, postal mail,VERIFY! VERIFY! VERIFY!

If you feel you are a victim, have any questions, or concerns, contact Community Resource Deputy Jeff Merry, 813-242-5515.

Thank You for being one of our partners in the
fight against crime
Chad Chronister, Sheriff

Florida Parking Laws

DO YOU KNOW THE “Parking Laws?”

Did you know that many of US are not aware of Florida Parking Laws. The Security Patrol cooperates with the Sheriff’s Office in educating residents on Florida statutes and Hillsborough County ordinances covering “vehicle parking”.

In mid-November, the Parking Laws Education will resume. Security Patrol Captains will place Educational (NOT citations) Information Cards under the windshield wipers of vehicles violating parking laws. There is no fine associated with these cards. Cards will be placed on vehicles on roadways or easements (not private property).

Examples of violations with higher occurrences in recent education actions included:

PARKING--
On or blocking a sidewalk (even in your own driveway)
On a bicycle path or exclusive bicycle lane
In front of a public or private driveway
Against the flow of traffic

The Security Patrol has no authority to direct drivers to move a vehicle. The purpose is to educate residents. Should a Deputy encounter the same situation, residents are “subject to” a citation and/or fine. Read More

Reference:
Florida statutes 316.1945 and 316.195
Hillsborough County ordinances Section 50; Article V

Patrol

Maintain high visibility.Watch for and record information about suspicious persons and/or vehicles.

Observe irregular and/or unusual activities involving property, vehicles or people.

Provide assistance to residents and visitors.

Alert

Point of contact with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's office and other law enforcement agencies and officials.

Maintain a file on incidents reported and follow-up information, if available.

Support

Provides emergency traffic control and back-up support for the Emergency Squad, Fire Department and Sheriff's office, when called upon to do so.

Provides courtesy escort and aid to the lost, stranded, and others who request such services.

Maintains House Watch files.

Performs Golf Cart inspection and registration.

Lost and Found persons, pets & objects

Silver Alert Search Team

We have a search team that supplement’s the HCSO “Silver Alert” for Alzheimer's or dementia patients who may have wandered away.
We provide meeting space for HOA's and clubs on a first come, first served basis
We have “House Emergency Notification” cards for our snowbirds or vacationing residents.
We partner with animal lover groups to reunite residents with lost pets
We patrol each neighborhood about 1500 times each year
We have 600+ volunteers patrolling over 125,000 miles each year
We provide security vehicles for in-home Craigslist transactions
We are the community location for lost and found items
We do golf cart registration for the entire area
We provide after-hours rides for patients released from South Bay
We volunteer over 30,000 hours annually
We do wellness checks when a resident can not be contacted

Our Corporate Documents

Articles of Incorporation
Bylaws

Sun City Center Security Patrol, Inc.​