Peter Schorsch
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri is no stranger to accolades, and 2023 is no different. Perhaps even bigger than jumping on this list from No. 8 last year to No. 5 this year, Gualtieri was named the 2022 Sandra S. Hutchens Sheriff of the Year.
The annual recognition, bestowed by the Major County Sheriffs of America, honored Gualtieri for his impact on law enforcement nationwide. Gualtieri serves on the association’s executive board. The annual award is named after a California Sheriff who died of breast cancer in 2021.
As a local Sheriff, Gualtieri’s reach goes far beyond his Pinellas County community. He previously served as president of the Florida Sheriff’s Association and currently sits on the association’s legislative committee, where he plays a role in crafting legislative priorities for the law enforcement community.
“Over the years, Sheriff Gualtieri has been the go-to subject matter expert for Governors, House Speakers and Senate Presidents for historic and game-changing public safety legislation. From school safety and reducing gun violence to addressing the opioid epidemic, he can address it all,” said Florida Sheriffs Association Executive Director Steve Casey.
“Sheriff Gualtieri has always done a fantastic job of protecting the Tampa Bay area, but what makes his efforts extraordinary is how he also proudly represents the interests of all Sheriffs. His effective advocacy for rural, suburban and urban areas allows every sheriff to ensure our entire state remains safe.”
Southern Group Partner Mercer Fearington, a longtime representative of the Florida Sheriff’s Association, also praised Gualtieri.
“In addition to maintaining law and order for the nearly one million residents of Pinellas County, Sheriff Gualtieri leads the legislative efforts of the Florida Sheriffs Association, one of the strongest and most successful associations in Florida, and was recently named the 2022 Sandra S Hutchens Sheriff of the Year by the Major County Sheriffs of America,” Fearington said.
“As the face of law enforcement in the Capitol, Sheriff Gualtieri also has the ear of leadership and Gov. Ron DeSantis. To quote E.F. Hutton, ‘When he speaks, people listen.'”
He also chairs the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission formed in 2018 following the tragic Parkland school shooting.
“Sheriff Gualtieri is a regular face in Tallahassee, where lawmakers look to him for best practice and expertise. He’s an ardent advocate for expanding school safety measures, and state leaders took note of his innovative solutions which have been replicated on a statewide level and caught the attention of sheriff’s departments across the nation,” said RSA Consulting Vice President and COO Natalie King.
Gualtieri has overseen improvements to school safety, including implementing single-point entry on campuses; fenced campuses; new communication devices; panic buttons; window coverings; and armed security on every campus.
The armed staff meant growing Hillsborough County Schools security from about 80 officers to nearly 400 trained guardians, those who are allowed to carry weapons on campus with required training, but who aren’t necessarily sworn law enforcement, according to ABC Action News.
“There’s never been an issue that Bob Gualtieri hasn’t been willing to take on whether it be at the local, state or national level. His reach goes far beyond Pinellas County as a thought leader on law enforcement policy. His tenure as the Legislative Chairman for the Florida Sheriff’s Association has elevated his profile even further, especially during the last two years with Pinellas County’s own Chris Sprowls on the dais,” said communications consultant Preston Rudie.
“He’s received the ‘Sheriff of the Year’ award from both national Sheriff organizations, the National Sheriff’s Association and the Major County Sheriffs of America. The rest of the country is learning something we’ve known for a long time: we’re lucky to have Bob Gualtieri in our corner.”
Gualtieri, a registered Republican, has often been praised for his ability to reach across the aisle to provide commonsense compromise on public safety issues. He’s rifling Democrats some this year though, with support for a bill (HB 543) that would allow Florida residents to carry concealed weapons without a license.
Currently, individuals must obtain a concealed carry permit that requires a criminal background check and firearms training courses. The bill would eliminate those requirements.
Democrats worry about eliminating the training, noting that drivers must pass an exam showing proficiency behind the wheel before getting a driver’s license. But Gualtieri called the current training requirements meaningless, saying during a committee hearing on the bill that it’s an “online course” that only takes “about 30 minutes,” according to WUSF.
Despite his occasional policy stances that frustrate Democrats, most still respect Gualtieri as a law enforcement leader, particularly his willingness to increase awareness and resources for those with mental health or other disabilities.
Earlier this year, Gualtieri, along with Democratic Pinellas County Commissioner Janet Long, launched a mental health foundation, Mental Health for Heroes, to help first responders and their immediate family members recover from grief and trauma by providing confidential therapy services.
He also started the “Respond with Care” program within the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office to provide stickers alerting first responders when someone suffers from a disability, such as autism, hearing impairment, visual impairment, sensory issues, cognitive differences or a physical disability. The notification allows first responders to proceed with a safe and appropriate interaction.
Methodology
We define the Tampa Bay region as Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco, but can also include Hernando, Polk or Sarasota — if the politicians from those counties impact either Pinellas or Hillsborough.
We define a politician as being in office or running for office.
Being first on a panelist’s list earns the politician 25 points, second earns them 24 points and so on, to where being listed 25th earns a politician one point. Points are added and, voilà, we have a list.
Special thanks go to our experienced and knowledgeable panelists, who were essential to developing the 2023 list: Christina Barker of the Vinik Family Office, Ashley Bauman of Mercury, Ed Briggs of RSA Consulting, political consultant Maya Brown, Ricky Butler of the Pinellas Co. Sheriff’s Office, Reggie Cardozo of The Public Square, Ronald Christaldi of Schumaker, Barry Edwards, Joe Farrell of Pinellas Realtors, pollster Matt Florell of Vicidial Group, Shawn Foster of Sunrise Consulting Group, Adam Giery of Strategos Group, political consultant Max Goodman, Mike Griffin of Savills, Todd Josko of Ballard Partners, Natalie King of RSA Consulting, political consultant Benjamin Kirby, Merritt Martin of Moffitt Cancer Center, Mike Moore of The Southern Group, Ron Pierce of RSA Consulting, J.C. Pritchett, pastor of St. Pete’s Faith Church, Darren Richards of Tucker/Hall, Preston Rudie of Catalyst Communications Group, Amanda Stewart of Johnston and Stewart, Bemetra Simmons of the Tampa Bay Partnership, Alan Suskey of Shumaker Advisors and communications consultant Janelle Irwin Taylor. With Michelle and Peter Schorsch.
