Bob Gualtieri sworn in as Pinellas County Sheriff

Bob Gualtieri sworn in as Pinellas County Sheriff

From TampaBay.com

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LARGO — Pinellas County got a new sheriff Wednesday.

Bob Gualtieri, 50, was sworn in during a 25-minute ceremony in a courtroom packed with public officials, friends, family and community leaders. Thomas McGrady, chief judge of the Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court, administered the oath of office.

"I can attest he is an outstanding public servant with a remarkable character," said outgoing Sheriff Jim Coats, who introduced Gaultieri at the ceremony. "He is a very, very bright individual. … In some ways, he's been a great mentor to me."

Gov. Rick Scott appointed Gualtieri, who had been the agency's chief deputy for several years, to the post last month after Coats announced he was retiring to be with his wife as she battles cancer. Gualtieri will serve out the rest of Coats' term until January 2013. He also is a Republican candidate for the same position in the 2012 election.

He answered a few questions before he was sworn in.

Can residents of Pinellas County expect to see a difference between you and the previous sheriff?

There's so many similarities. As far as the daily operation of the Sheriff's Office, and some of the big programs and crime prevention, they won't see a difference, because we are aligned in that. We share the same core focus. We are very focused not only on public service, but also customer service. I believe law enforcement's role should not just be reactive.

What do you see as the biggest issues facing our community and your agency?

Prescription pills. It is the No. 1 public safety issue we face. Another significant issue that we have is the budget and managing the jail population. … Navigating through the last four years has been like navigating through a tsunami. We've cut $108 million from our budget, eliminated more than 600 positions. … Those are such big challenges, and we have navigated it successfully. I'm not taking the salary increase that comes with being sheriff. The members of the Sheriff's Office have not had a pay increase for four years, and I need to stand shoulder to shoulder with them. (State law sets a sheriff's salary at $158,000; Gaultieri said he will keep his current salary of $152,000).

What are your new plans for the agency?

We have some things we're working on, especially in the area of the prescription drugs epidemic. I want to make sure we're doing everything we can to reverse that trend. It's the No. 1 issue. It permeates throughout our calls for service every day. We've got to do something about it.

How do you plan to balance being sheriff and a candidate?

It's a matter of working hard and working long days and long hours. I'm confident I can do it. There's different times of the day for different activities. My first priority is being the best sheriff I can be for Pinellas County.

Are you nervous?

I wouldn't say I'm nervous. I want do the absolute best job that I can. Having managed the day-to-day operations of the Sheriff's Office for the past four years, I feel very comfortable where I am, and if I have any concerns, it's navigating the budget challenges.

What do you do when you're not at work?

I love sports. The Rays, Lightning and Bucs — I go to all three of 'em. I like going to the gym and working out. I have a 6-year-old daughter at home — she keeps me busy.

>>Fast facts

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri

Age: 50

Family: Wife, Lauralee Westine, daughters Jordanna, 22; Christina, 20; Lauren, 6.

Career: Started as a Pinellas County Jail deputy in 1982. Held various jobs at the Dunedin Police Department and Pinellas Sheriff's Office before leaving to get a law degree. Returned to Sheriff's Office in 2006 and spent the last several years as the agency's chief deputy.

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Let's not forget, he actually worked in the general counsel office from 1996 to 2006 when he was GIVEN the Cheif Deputy position even tho he wasn't law enforcement certified (got that a year later in 2007). Also was the worst person for the job since he did not work his way thru the ranks like some idiot reporter wrote, never held a supervisory position in the agency, has no leadership qualities. The " I won't take a raise in pay because no of my Deputies have and I need to stand shoulder to shoulder with them." That is a complete joke of a statement as I've ever heard. His way of ruling is by INTIMIDATION! Any infraction is met with harsh discipline and called progressive (Maxium allowed) does not know how to talk to the troops. Will tell you one thing (we are not going to 12 hour shifts, it's not on the back burner, it's not on the table, we're not even discussing it) 3 days later, Hey, your on 12's and I never said you weren't going, don't twist my words. But hey, patrol won't go to 12's because it isn't condusive for family life. Deputies at the jail have families but that's a different enviroment. Isn't that right bobby boy. Your lines of BULLS**T in front of the cameras is just a ploy to try and win votes. Just like that B.S. you told the captains, "start patting people on the back and make them Deputies feel good." Another B.S. ploy to win votes, you make me sick. Forget it man, you won't win because the damage you caused is unrepairable by you. Hope you enjoy all that money you blew on letter head with your name on it, for your scrapbook and your hope chest. I still would like to know how the Hatch Act violation you DID in fact commit is coming along or did it get swept under the rug with all the other B.S. RICE 2012, hell even one of those criminals in the gualtieri homeless house would be better then you.

Blah Blah Blah, Wah, Wah, Wah...why don't you find something else to b!tch about? Geesh, let it go before you give yourself a stroke.

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Blah Blah Blah, Wah, Wah, Wah...why don't you find something else to b!tch about? Geesh, let it go before you give yourself a stroke.

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Give it some time. Now that Rick Scott has installed Gualtieri as sheriff, he is free to come up with new imaginative ways to screw us. There will be new things to b i t c h about soon enough.

Of course he will, all he will be doing is sitting in his office planning our next a$$ screwing. All the time in the world. Hey, at least he isn't taking his pay increase. What an awesome guy he is, so good of him. Oh man, I just threw up in my mouth at that last sentence. Excuse me, gotta go rinse....

Gualtieri not taking his pay increase is a pure public relations and political damage control move because he knows he is disliked throughout the agency. If he was so concerned about the deputies' lack of pay increases and pay cuts over the last 4 years, why didn't he and Coats give themselves commensurate pay cuts back then when the budget cuts were implemented? Why now when he is running for sheriff? Simple - because Gualtieri doesn't give a krap about anything except getting elected sheriff.

Gerretz a Lt? We are really in trouble now.