Pasco County, Florida Police Department Review

This is a strange review - and a review I never would have imagined myself writing.

I write in praise of the Pasco County, Florida Police Department. Here's why:

One day last year, I tried calling my mom, who lives in Pasco County. For several hours, there was no answer. I also got no answer when I tried her cell phone. Considering my mother's serious health problems, I got really scared. She and my dad are together 99% of the time, and they'd never just let the phone ring. I phoned the Pasco County Police Department, explained that I was calling form all the way in San Francisco, and that I was worried about my mother, who hadn't picked up the phone for several hours. Without hesitating, they sent a patrol car over to my mother's house. Turns out her cell phone battery was dead and, coincidentally, she'd accidentally unplugged the house phone. She hadn't even heard the phone ring for all those hours! The police not only paid her a visit, but they refused to leave until she called me and assured me that all was well.

Pretty amazing service. But it gets better.

Just today, my two older nephews went missing. I'm talking about a 9 year old and 12 year old going off on their bikes at noon, and not being home at 4pm. Or 5pm. Or 6pm. My sister and husband, my parents, the neighbors....everyone in the community got together and started searching. It's an area with lots of tall grass, barren land, streams and lakes....plenty of places for a couple of adventurous kids to get into trouble - or worse. My sister was a wreck. *I* was a wreck - and I felt helpless, because I live so far away. The Pasco County Police were on the scene, pronto...An Amber Alert was issued, police cars and helicopters were dispatched and a full search operation was launched. They even printed up fliers with the boys' photos.

Happy Ending

My nephews were found just after 8pm - thank God. They were safe and sound - found playing by a stream, having lost track of the time because of the long hours of sunshine this time of year. The Pasco Police were amazing. They escorted the boys home by police car, and a deputy gave them a really stern talking to.

I hardly think the police in San Francisco would have reacted so quickly to a report of a couple of missing kids. In fact, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have acted, at all, until the kids had been missing a whole day. The Pasco Police? They responded just after 4pm, when my brother-in-law decided that he needed help searching - just four hours after the kids had left for their bike ride.

I grew up resenting the boys in blue but I have to say - the Pasco Police Department can expect a delivery of chocolate form me tomorrow.