For Deputy Eddie Martinez, it’s all about the community. On a recent shift, the Oldsmar Community Policing Officer (CPO) checked in with a local proprietor to chat about mutual acquaintances, how business was going, who might be buying a nearby building… and what kinds of traffic violations they see from their shop. A friendly conversation with another Oldsmar resident revealed concerns about a possibly shady character they’ve seen around the neighborhood, while a visit to an apartment manager uncovered issues with vandalism at the pool, and a suspicious vehicle that parks in a dark location several times a week.

All of those are things that a deputy might come across while on patrol, if they happened to be in the right place at the right time, but having a close connection with the community means that Deputy Martinez – or Deputy Eddie as he likes the residents to call him – is always on top of issues in Oldsmar. “I’m a liaison not only to the city government but to the community itself,” he said. “I get to know as many residents as possible, so I can keep track of what’s going on.” 

He’s found that people can be reluctant to call law enforcement because they think the problems are too small to bother with, but catching small issues as early as possible is the best way to keep them from turning into major concerns. “It’s important to get out there so as many people as possible know who we are. The community likes the fact that we’re not in the same uniform – hey, that’s our CPO, that’s Eddie. They don’t feel intimidated. They’re comfortable talking to me about anything they need.”

Deputy Martinez also gets calls directly from city officials. A neighbor may tell a councilmember about a lot of activity at a house, with cars coming and going at odd hours, and they don’t really know what is going on. They’re concerned, but not worried enough to call 911. The city officials make sure that word gets to Deputy Martinez or the other Oldsmar CPO, Deputy Patrick Edwards, so they can look into it. 

Though their main focus is being that liaison between the sheriff’s office and the city, one of the best parts of being a CPO is the variety. “You never know what you’re going to get,” Deputy Martinez said. “One day we’re pulling trailers, helping with city events, and attending city council meetings, but the next we’re helping Patrol, or assisting Narcotics, or helping with a search warrant. Every day is different.”

A CPO will always help out Patrol deputies if they get busy or there’s a big call, but in general CPOs don’t get dispatched on calls so they have the freedom to do a lot of self-initiated activity to address specific problem areas in the city. There are two dedicated traffic units working in Oldsmar, but between careless drivers running stop signs in neighborhoods and speeders on the major commuter roads, there is always a need for more traffic enforcement. “Everyone knows that you don’t come through Oldsmar and speed, said Deputy Martinez. “The traffic cars are notorious for doing their job and making sure the roadways are safe. People know about the gray Charger and the gray Tahoe. They do a great job making sure traffic is handled in the city.” 

One of his favorite things to do is finding people with warrants. He checks the active warrants list first thing every morning and if any are in Oldsmar, or have ties to Oldsmar, he’ll go after them. “I’ve had to use undercover cars for surveillance, to see when people enter and exit the home – they have to go to work or school at some point. I can change my schedule to get out at 4 a.m. and watch the house until they get in their car, and then conduct a traffic stop and make the arrest. It’s good to be able to be flexible and handle the issues we need to handle.” 

On a recent ridealong, Deputy Martinez showed off some of Oldsmar’s highlights. There’s an extensive trail system, which he patrols on a side-by-side, and a waterfront park that often hosts musical performances. There are natural areas such as the Mobbly Bayou Wilderness Preserve, which has a kayak launch and a marked paddling trail through the mangroves. Oldsmar has places for the adventurous, like a zipline trail and a BMX track, and everyone hopes to find a bargain or treasure at the flea market. Downtown development in Oldsmar is always a subject for debate, but Deputy Martinez is at plenty of the meetings and the discussions always remain civil. 

For Deputy Martinez, being that recognizable face of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office is vital to keeping a positive and healthy relationship between the community and the agency. “The thing I like most is being involved in the community. It might not always be law enforcement related – it might just be building a rapport. By building that rapport you’re getting information you may not have gotten anywhere else.”



You have to hand it to the scammers – they keep coming up with clever ways to try to part you from your hard-earned money. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) stays on top of the latest ways that people are trying to trick you and take advantage of you. Every time you get a phone call, email, or text message, be aware that it could be a scam. With the ups and downs of the unemployment rate, as well as a changing work environment that uses new technology and relies more on remote or nontraditional work, there are new opportunities for scammers to take advantage of your quest for a dream job.

There are many different scams involving employment, from pyramid schemes to job placement service scams. But you don’t have to be on the job hunt to become a victim of an employment scam. More and more often, these fraudsters will contact you with a text about a fabulous job offer. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, and someone is giving you something you didn’t seek out (whether it is a job, a lottery prize, or romance), it is probably a scam.

It works something like this: You get an email or a text for a job you didn’t apply for, stating that your resume has been reviewed and you’re being offered a job with a tempting salary. Just click on the link to accept the offer. Or they might make it a little more plausible – you’re a top candidate based on your resume, and they want to interview you. Only, being modern, the interview will be over text. Just download Telegram or another app where the user can delete all evidence of the conversation later. Before you know it, you’ve got the job.

The scammers can profit in several ways. They could just be collecting your information, including social security number and your bank account number, supposedly for depositing your paycheck – all things a legitimate employer would need, but the scammer will put them to nefarious use by getting loans or opening lines of credit under your identity.

More commonly, the scammer will send you a hefty check or two, which gets your hopes up that they are legitimate. They tell you to use the money to set up your home office, but you have to purchase the expensive computer and other equipment from a designated supplier… which is actually the scammer. Or the company will say they overpaid you and ask you to send back part of the payment, usually to the tune of several thousand dollars. The only problem is, the check they sent you is fake, it will bounce, and you’ll never actually have the funds in your account. But the money you spend or send will be your own, and it will go to the scammer.

Remember, if you didn’t apply for a job, you didn’t get the job. Even if you respond to a job posting, it could be a scam. Do some research to make sure the company exists and is reputable, and search for satisfied employees, or complaints. Be careful with your personal information – a reputable company won’t ask for that upfront. Although remote work means you may interview over Zoom, no company will pick a new hire over text. Don’t trust a company that asks you to send them money for anything. 

If you paid a scammer for anything, contact the company you used to send the money and report the fraud immediately. You may be able to have the payment stopped or reversed. You can call the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number, 582-6200, to file a report. You can also report fraud or attempted fraud to the Federal Trade Commission.