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

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.

04-25 Operation Medicine Cabinet.jpg

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.

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 another year which has certainly been eventful with our town being hit with 150 mph winds by Hurricane Milton in early October. Fortunately, the damage was not as bad as it was elsewhere in our state, although many properties suffered wind damage. The real blessing was that there were no human casualties reported.

Key happenings in October and November:

A) We have been out and about selling raffle tickets to win a luxury cruise next April, The draw for the winning ticket was made in our offices at 1pm on Saturday November 30 with the winning ticket, 3085 held by Debra Schneider.

B) The education program on vehicle parking in support of HCSO continued throughout the year. Captains put out information cards and the sheriff continues to receive the list of what vehicles were issued them.

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 they are needed.

D) Please note that the Patrol acts as a gathering point for donations of golf clubs and equipment for the First Tee Charity. The aim is to teach young children to play golf. If you do not have a use for your golf gear, please bring it and we will see First Tee receives it.

E) The Security Patrol provided safety guides and golf cart support for those making the Annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s on October 19

F) The Patrol coordinated the nighttime watching of the model of the Vietnam Wall Memorial during its visit to Freedom plaza from October 30 until November 3. There were more than fifty volunteers to help, with many coming from the Marines in Riverview and from Bob’s Vets here in Sun City Center. I am proud to report that the majority were members of the Security Patrol, themselves veterans.

G) This year our AGM and Member Appreciation Lunch was held at the United Methodist Hall on November 6 and was consider a big success with great food.

h) November 7 was the annual Hi Neighbor event at the Community Hall where we had a table to recruit new members and sell tickets for our luxury cruise raffle.

I) On November 19 there was the Blessing of the Support Vehicles of the Security Patrol, Samaritan Services and the Emergency Squad by six different churches. It is hoped this will evolve into an annual event.

J) On November 29 we assisted Kings Point Security with golf parking for their annual tree lighting ceremony which went smoothly despite the constant drizzle of rain.

K) Sad news is 66 members resigned during the month, although 63 had not worked for eighteen months or more and had not responded to our letter asking if they were okay.

1) This month our snowbird resident members are starting to return to our warmer climes. Our active members do a great job and 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!

2) This month our snowbird resident members are starting to return to our warmer climes. Our active members do a great job and 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!

3) This month we were delighted to have fourteen new members volunteer join us and to have two former members reinstated. 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.

4) Our volunteer of the month for November is Karla Van Horn who volunteered for 87 hours which is equivalent to a shift for every day of the month we worked, November has 30 days and we get Thanksgiving Day off.

5) I hope all our members and their families enjoyed the Thanksgiving Holiday. We certainly have a lot to be thankful for, living here in Sun City Center. This year looking at the damage wreaked elsewhere in our state and in those close by, and we have been fortunate.

6) This time of year is a time to enjoy the festive season, to wish each other a Merry Christmas and a Healthy, Happy and Prosperous New Year. I certainly wish that to all our members and their families. May the Good Lord continue to smile on us and keep our town safe.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to All

Did You Know?

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

   Is your medicine cabinet full of expired drugs or medications you no longer use? Your medicine is for you. What’s safe for you might be harmful for someone else. Keeping unused, expired and unwanted prescriptions and medications in your home can have tragic consequences. The best way to dispose of your expired, unwanted, or unused medicines is through a drug take back program. One of the most successful drug take back programs is Operation Medicine Cabinet, right here in Sun City Center. Another reason for the collection is the improper disposal of drugs when folks flush them down the toilet or throw them in the trash. This contaminates our public water supply and county landfills.
   On Friday, April 11, 2025, from 8 a.m. until noon, current Sun City Center Community Resource Deputy Jeff Merry will be collecting any and all unused and expired medications. This includes prescription medication, over the counter medication, pet medication, liquid medication, and sharps. Just drive to HCA South Shore Hospital, located at 4016 Sun City Center Blvd, and had them your medication. It is not even necessary to get out of the vehicle. Put those drugs and drug containers in a grocery bag and hand them over. Everything is accepted as is, you don’t need to remove any labels, and we don’t ask questions. It is completely confidential.
   Once drugs are taken into custody, they’re boxed and officially sealed, labeled and transported to HCSO Property and Evidence. They’re securely stored until they can be taken for incineration in the same manner as illegal drugs and confiscated guns. This program has kept the community safer from medication errors and actually saved lives, it has also kept drugs out of the hands of contractors, service providers and relatives who either end up personally misusing them or illegally selling them on the street. The event is open to anyone and is conducted twice a year, in April and December. For more information, call Deputy Merry at 813-242-5525.

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.​