Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman is pleased to announce the appointment of several sheriff’s office command staff members to prominent board positions throughout Sarasota County and the state of Florida.

Upon his inauguration, Sheriff Hoffman discussed with command staff members his desire to better incorporate agency leadership into the community. In May 2021, personnel worked to develop the 2021-2025 Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Strategic Plan. A specific objective was created that calls for the agency “to better integrate and involve command staff members and other agency leaders in community organizations.” Since May, 10 command staff members have either been newly appointed or are continuing their service to various community and state organizations.

In January, Captain Bryan Ivings was elected as a board member of the Sheriff’s Activities League of Sarasota County, Inc., a non-profit that focuses on providing youth with safe, experiential education opportunities which allow them to explore the many diverse aspects of our communities, while developing positive relationships with deputies from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

Captain John Walsh was elected in January to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Charitable Foundation Board of Directors. The nonprofit organization helps employees of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office who are experiencing extraordinary personal or family need. Walsh is also a member of the Probation Advisory Board (PAB), which is a sub-committee of the Criminal Justice Commission. The purpose of the PAB is to monitor the operations of Sarasota County’s misdemeanor probation program. 

In July, Captain James Forrest was appointed the sheriff’s office representative for the Community Alliance of Sarasota County. As part of the Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center, the mission of the alliance is to connect, support, and sustain a network of human service nonprofits for a stronger community. One of the greatest attributes of the Community Alliance is that it serves as the collective voice of Sarasota County's network for human and social services. 

General Counsel Crystal Bailey was appointed in July to the city of Sarasota’s Charter Review Committee. The city is obligated to convene a Charter Review Committee every 10 years, with each commissioner tapping two individuals to serve on the 10-member advisory board. Members come together to examine the city’s charter and debate opportunities to revise the document that defines the functions of the local government. Bailey also serves on the board of the Sarasota Chapter of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers.

In September, Major Brian Meinberg was appointed as the sheriff’s office representative and a member of the board of directors at First Step of Sarasota, a non-profit that offers innovative and comprehensive mental-health and substance use programs for adults and children, including inpatient, outpatient, and telehealth services. The following month, Meinberg was also appointed to the board of directors for Jewish Family and Children Services (JFCS) of the Suncoast, one of the area’s leading mental health and human services agencies. The organization offers programs that support youth, families, seniors, and veterans. Inspired by the Jewish tradition of helping all people, services are delivered on a non-denominational basis and with the goal of empowering individuals and families to self-sufficiency and stability.

In October, Community Affairs Director Kaitlyn Perez was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties (BGCSDC). Perez also serves as Chair of the club’s Safety Task Force, and Chair of Club Blue, a committee of local professionals tasked with advancing the mission of the organization.  BGCSDC has been a leading youth-serving organization since 1970 and provides enriching after-school and summer programs to thousands of youth, ages 6 to 18, in Sarasota, Venice, North Port, and Arcadia. The organization’s mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need services the most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

In October, Major Brian Woodring was appointed to the Teen Court of Sarasota, Inc. Board of Directors. Teen Court is an alternative to Juvenile Court and Civil Citation entity, allowing young people a second chance of having a bright future. Youth who come through Teen Court participate in a Justice for Youth-by-Youth court process, under the supervision of a volunteer adult judge. The organization also offers counseling services, hosts a drug prevention program, social media responsibility course, and life skills classes to those youth who need additional positive redirection. Major Woodring’s passion for youth dates back more than 20 years when he served as a School Resource Officer and football coach at Sarasota High School.

Captain Debra Kiner has served on the Board of Directors for the Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center (SPARCC) since 2014 and currently serves on the Finance Committee. SPARCC was formed as a non-profit agency in 1979 and is the only state-certified center for domestic violence and sexual assault services for Sarasota and DeSoto Counties. SPARCC provides help, hope, and healing with empowerment-based services and programs.

Captain David Parisi has served on the Certified Accreditation Professional Program (CAP) Committee of the Florida Police Accreditation Coalition, Inc. since 2016. The coalition is a not-for-profit corporation formed in 1989, under the laws of the State of Florida, for the purpose of providing member agencies a network of law enforcement professionals encouraging communication, mutual cooperation, support, and the sharing of resources among each other.

Sheriff Hoffman also took on several new leadership roles this year including serving as a Criminal Justice Commission Advisory Board member, Vice-Chair of the Suncoast Technical College Criminal Justice Academy, and Chair of the Florida Sheriffs Association’s Accreditation Committee. Hoffman also serves on Sarasota County’s Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Planning Council.

“Sarasota County is a tremendous community comprised of countless non-profit organizations that are creating real social impact,” commented Sheriff Hoffman. “In our role as law enforcement leaders, we must integrate ourselves into the communities and neighborhoods that we serve. Being a sheriff’s office command staff member is not just about leading the community toward safety but also empowering our residents through philanthropy.”