Pasco Sheriff's Office Announces Reorganization

When longtime Pasco County Undersheriff Col. Al Nienhuis was tapped in December by then-Gov. Charlie Crist as the new Hernando County Sheriff, Pasco Sheriff Bob White deemed him irreplaceable, so to speak.

Immediately, White decided not to replace Nienhuis, who was earning $132,600 annually, and instead reorganized the agency he’s led for a decade.

White announced on Monday the changes to the  that will decentralize the operations that were overseen by Nienhuis.

“I’m confident these changes will continue the level of service that Pasco citizens have come to expect,” White said in a prepared statement. “The people I have promoted have proven leadership abilities and I know they will continue to improve our agency.”

The changes, according to sheriff’s office spokesman Kevin Doll, are expected to save taxpayers about $18,000, a small fraction of White’s nearly $86.4 million budget.

Two major changes include the creation of two new bureaus: the Management Service Bureau and the Joint Operations Bureau.

The Management Services Bureau will be supervised by Chief Jeremiah Hawkes, a civilian and formerly White’s general counsel. He will oversee the agency’s Human Resources Department, a new general counsel, the Child Protection Investigative Division and the previous administrative units formerly under the Administrative Bureau, including the Fiscal Unit, Fleet and Facilities Maintenance, the Records Section, the Purchasing Section, Information Technology Section and the Property and Evidence Section.

The search for a new general counsel is under way, and that salary is included in the reorganization, Doll said.

Capt. Chris Nocco has been elevated to major, overseeing the Joint Operations Bureau. He will supervise the Criminal Investigations Division and the Agency Support Division. Professional Standards Inspector James Mallo was promoted to captain, filling Nocco’s former position, and will supervise the Agency Support Division, including the Communications Section, the Professional Standards Unit, Citizen Support Services Section, Civil Process, Data Services Section and the Agricultural Unit (formerly part of Patrol Operations).

Another agency member has been promoted to a key position. Lisa Brown, former Fiscal Affairs director, has been named Fiscal and Budget Director.

The Patrol Operations Bureau has one change under the reorganization. The Special Operations Division, which used a lieutenant to supervise the Aviation Unit, the Marine Unit, and the SWAT Unit, was dismantled. The specialty units still exist, but they will be supervised by district patrol captains, giving the agency more flexibility to respond to resident needs, Doll said.

Another major change includes the reduction of salaries for newly promoted captains and majors. There is no increase in net positions as a result of the reorganization.