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Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight will become president and CEO of First Step of Sarasota in January 2021.
First Step of Sarasota will provide mental health professionals who will assist on crisis calls.
A Sarasota County mental health agency will be teaming with law enforcement on a pilot program to provide assistance for those with behavioral health needs.
First Step of Sarasota announced Tuesday the formation of a Behavioral Health Response Team, consisting of licensed clinicians and psychiatrists who will work with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and Sarasota Police Department to answer calls involving a mental health crisis.
“This team is an outgrowth of the national conversation about the sometimes difficult intersection of policing and mental health issues,” said Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight in a news release. “We are proud to be taking proactive steps to create a system that works for our community.
City of Sarasota names interim deputy city manager Deputy Chief of Police Pat Robinson appointed to be the City’s interim deputy city manager. (Source: City of Sarasota) By ABC7 Staff | December 10, 2020 at 3:41 PM EST - Updated December 10 at 3:41 PM
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Deputy Chief of Police Pat Robinson was appointed Thursday, Dec. 10 to be the City’s interim deputy city manager. He was selected by Interim City Manager Marlon Brown to assist with the leadership transition.
Robinson, a Sarasota native and a 20-year veteran of the Sarasota Police Department, served as a SPD officer, detective, sergeant and captain. In 2015, Chief Bernadette DiPino appointed him as deputy chief overseeing all four divisions of the department.