Dec. 8 open house planned at Sheriff’s Office headquarters on Cattleridge Boulevard

Event to showcase special units and include adoptable animals from the Animal Services Division

Image courtesy Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office will hold its first annual open house on Saturday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sheriff Tom Knight has announced.

The public is invited to visit the Sheriff’s Office headquarters on Cattleridge Boulevard in Sarasota “to enjoy a free, family-friendly event with food, refreshments, music, and demonstrations,” a news release says. “Members of the agency’s SWAT and Emergency Response teams, Mounted Patrol, K-9 and Aviation units,” among others, will display special equipment and offer attendees “an inside look at the Special Operations Bureau,” the release adds.

Additionally, the Human Resources and Emergency Operations bureaus will offer information about career opportunities, and the agency’s Animal Services Section will bring adoptable animals, the release points out.

The open house will take place during the agency’s holiday toy drive benefitting the 12th Judicial Circuit of Florida’s Guardian ad Litem program, the release points out. The first 300 people to donate a new, unwrapped toy or gift card will receive a Sheriff’s Office T-shirt, the release notes. T-shirts will be limited to one per person per gift.

“Clothing and stuffed animals will not be accepted,” the release emphasizes.

“After a very successful ribbon cutting and grand opening in 2017, it’s our pleasure to again welcome Sarasota County residents back to our facility,” said Community Affairs Director Kaitlyn Perez in the release. “Our headquarters is centrally located and makes for a great location to host the residents we serve.”

“As crime continues to decrease throughout Sarasota County, what better way to celebrate and connect than by making this an annual celebration,” added Knight in the release. “We are so fortunate to live in a safe, fun and thriving community where people want to be part of their Sheriff’s Office.”

The Sheriff’s Office headquarters is located at 6010 Cattleridge Blvd. in Sarasota. Parking is limited, so attendees are encouraged to carpool if possible, the release notes. For more information, contact the agency’s Community Affairs Office at 861-4005.