Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman announced Thursday the next expansion of the agency’s How We Serve campaign which highlights how the sheriff’s office is serving military veterans in our community.

How We Serve: Defining the Culture of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office was released June 16, 2020, just more than two weeks after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The document was created in response to the national conversation about police use of force and demand from many advocacy groups to reform law enforcement policies. In April 2021, the sheriff’s office expanded the campaign with the release of How We Serve: Our Approach to Mental Illness, which focused on the unique ways the agency serves vulnerable populations and those experiencing mental illness.

To continue the conversation about law enforcement best practices and how the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office serves its community, How We Serve: Our Nation’s Military Heroes highlights the unique ways the agency is supporting the veteran community. Within the campaign, the agency shares details about partnerships with local veteran-focused organizations, employment opportunities for active and former military members, and the donation of forfeiture funds and other resources. The campaign also highlights services provided by the agency’s Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) to veterans experiencing homelessness and the implementation of the Veterans Housing Initiative for eligible inmates within the county’s Correctional Facility. Additional notable examples are featured on the second page of the document.

“There is nothing more honorable than serving your country which is why we so strongly support our Sarasota County veterans,” commented Sheriff Hoffman. “Whether it is donating computers to a local veteran-run non-profit, creating a specialty pod where inmates proudly hang the flags of their respective military branches, or helping the victim of a domestic battery get her service ribbons back, we are committed to doing everything we can to serve and support our nation’s heroes.”

To learn more about the How We Serve campaign, visit SarasotaSheriff.org or visit the agency’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube using the hashtag #SCSOHowWeServe. In coming days, citizens will also be able to visit the agency’s Sarasota headquarters located at 6010 Cattleridge Blvd., to pick up a printed copy of the campaign infographic.