CCSO Sgt. Matt Taylor graduates from FDLE Leadership Academy
Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast (left); CCSO Sgt. Matt Taylor (right).
"It takes courage to protect and serve the citizens of our community, but it also takes well-trained, cutting edge leadership to sustain excellence in public safety," said Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "We are extremely proud of Sergeant Taylors' accomplishment and his unwavering dedication to our community. His constant learning, training, and innovation will greatly benefit our citizens."
Due to COVID-19, graduates of the academy were mailed their certificates instead of attending a formal ceremony. However, the hard work and dedication to earn this certificate should not go unnoticed. As a member of the 47th class, Sgt. Taylor, along with 38 other graduates, completed this four-week training in a nontraditional manner. The first three months of classes were held at Daytona State College's School of Emergency Services in Daytona, Florida. Due to the looming pandemic, the last scheduled class was suspended until July and subsequently completed online.
Nonetheless, Sgt. Taylor has learned key leadership skills that will help to advance the growth and development of the Citrus County Sheriff's Office. Sgt. Taylor and those who attended the Florida Leadership Academy serve their respective agencies in first-line leadership roles, making their continued training a key element in the success of an agency.
Partnering with FDLE, the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute helped to facilitate these four weeks of training. The institute is dedicated to educating and training criminal justice professionals, helping them to learn innovative and proven techniques.