Charlotte County came together to honor fallen officers on Saturday with the 15th annual Fallen Heroes Fundraiser. This year it began with a memorial motorcycle ride in honor of the first female corrections officer killed in the line of duty. More than two dozen officers in Southwest Florida have been killed in the line of […]
Neighbors in Punta Gorda let their guard down. What is typically known as a safe and quiet area became a target for thieves. Surveillance video from a Punta Gorda home shows thieves taking a car for a spin. The owners left the doors unlocked and made it even easier for the thieves by leaving the […]
Warning: This story discusses the topic of suicide that some people may find disturbing A new program at the Punta Gorda Police Department is hoping to assist veterans in crisis. The Veteran Crisis Assistance Task Force is staffed by five veterans on the police force, all from different military branches. They’re trained to help veterans […]
Texting 911 instead of calling can make a huge difference during emergency situations. But, whatever the method, misusing 911 can waste lifesaving resources. Melanie Bailey is the Public Safety Communications Manager for the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. “We get a variety of calls anywhere from medical to accidents with injuries,” Bailey said. Charlotte County 911 […]
The death of George Floyd at the beginning of last week sparked not only protests but put race at the forefront of American’s minds. Charlotte County is no different. The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office has been holding monthly meetings with the NAACP for the last 6 years but stopped recently due to the coronavirus. Punta […]
When you dial 911, you expect to get help on the other end of the line, but Punta Gorda is worried it might not be able to keep up with the growing city’s needs. Dispatchers in Punta Gorda still use flip cards, so when they get an emergency call they have to look through those […]