Karen Thurman: “Tonight I would like to do a tribute to our volunteer crime fighters within the Citrus County Sheriff's Office under the…”

“Tonight I would like to do a tribute to our volunteer crime fighters within the Citrus County Sheriff's Office under the leadership of Sheriff Jeffrey Dawsy. The Citrus County Sheriff's Office has one of the largest and most successful volunteer programs in the Nation. There are over 1,100 volunteers working in just about every area of the Sheriff's Office. The county has volunteers driving in mobile crime watch units helping to keep the streets safe. The program includes volunteer bailiffs working the courts, volunteer dispatchers in the communications center, volunteer receptionists at community offices, as well as volunteers who fingerprint, assist in clerical duties and review pawnshop information. Stanley Wishin of Inverness has been working at the Floral City Elementary School through the GRAMPA program for the past five years. GRAMPA stands for Getting Retirees Actively Motivated to Policing Again. Prior to his volunteer work, Mr. Wishin served for 21 years as a police officer in New York City. He retired from duty and moved down to Florida with intentions of settling down, but he just could not stay away from community service. He quickly signed on at the Broward County Sheriff's Office for another 16 years of law enforcement service. Since his retirement, he has been actively involved with the Citrus County volunteer program, and he says he loves every minute of it.”