Land O’ Lakes Jail Is Going To The Dogs

After years of operating without a home of their own, the officers and dogs in the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office’s K-9 Unit will soon have brand new digs.

Courtesy of a fundraising effort taken on by the Leadership Pasco Class of 2011, a 1,186-square foot building is being constructed on the grounds of the Land O’ Lakes Jail, near where the new was unveiled earlier this year.

A groundbreaking for the building, which is estimated to cost about $120,000, was held May 17. Thanks to donations from the community, inmate labor and the fact the county already owns the land, the actual cash price for construction is estimated around $35,000. The county isn't spending anything for the project.

“(We) tried to top what many of the other classes have done,” said Skip Miller, the president of the leadership class of 2011. “(We thought) this would be a tremendous project.”

Money to cover the $35,000 was raised through donations and also during the recent . That first-time event netted more than $18,000 for the project.

“Our vision is becoming a reality,” Miller said. “It will have an everlasting impact on the community.”

Speaking during the groundbreaking, Sheriff Chris Nocco applauded the 35 class members for their efforts on behalf of the agency.

“I can’t thank Leadership Pasco (enough) for everything they do,” he said. “This is terrific.”

Nocco said K-9 handlers and their dogs have a special bond that exemplifies law enforcement.

“We always talk about the thin blue line – those two (deputies and K-9s) really have each other’s backs.”

The class took on the building as its project after it learned about the impact the K-9 unit had on the entire county, said Skip Miller, president.

“We wanted a project that would have an impact on the entire community,” Miller said. “We didn’t want to get segmented. That’s how we knew right away (this was the project). What they do daily impacts the entire community.” 

Leadership Pasco is an organization that identifies and trains current and future community leaders to give them hands-on experience with the issues the county faces. Each year a class of applicants is selected to undergo an intensive program that includes visits to a variety of different industries that operate in Pasco. Members traditionally take on a large service project.

Construction on the building, which will include office space, four kennels, storage and more, is expected to take 90 days, said sheriff’s office spokesman Kevin Doll. In the meantime, the leadership class is continuing a fundraiser to sell engraved pavers to cover any additional costs. The pavers will eventually line the walkway leading into the new building.

For more information, visit lp2011.com, email george.miller@suntrust.com or call 352-573-7322.