Policy Text
ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
GENERAL ORDER
Effective Date: November 6, 2025 Amends - GO 20.1.13 ( June 1, 2022 ) Number : 20.1.13
Distribution: All Personnel Review Month: September Reviewing Authority:
SSD/Quality Assurance
Subject: Sheriff’s Citizens Advisory Committee
This order consists of the following:
1. Purpose
2. Policy
3. Procedures
1. Purpose
Law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve greatly benefit from a
cooperative relationship supported by constructive dialogue and mutual respect. The
purpose of this policy is to encourage such a relationship in Orange County by establishing
a multidisciplinary committee to consider substantive concerns of the general public about
Sheriff’s Office policies and procedures. The committee’s mandate is twofold: (1) to
provide a forum for dialogue between citizens and law enforcement; and (2) to review
policies and procedures and provide recommendations .
2. Policy
Community support is mission -critical to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is the policy
of the agency to continually cultivate productive working relationships with citizens and
other stakeholders within the community.
3. Procedures
A. Composition
1. The Sheriff’s Citizens Advisory Committee shall include seven members who
are appointed by the Sheriff and serve on a voluntary basis without
compensation.
2. Committee members must be le gal residents of or employed in Orange
County Florida. Committee members must be at least 21 years of age and
have not been convicted of a felony or crime of moral character .
3. The collective bargaining union may nominate a person for committee
membership. This committee member is exempt from the residency or
employment requirements above.
4. To support the mission of the committee by providing appropriate expertise,
its membership should reflect a variety of occupations (e.g. clergy, education,
tourism). One member is required to be a retired law enforcement officer.
Attention should be given to all forms of diversity to achieve broad community
representation.
20.1.13, Page 2 of 3
5. Nominees must successfully pass an OCSO Fasttrack Volunteer background
investigation to qualify for service on the committee.
6. Committee members shall not be an OCSO employee, an immediate family
member of an OCSO employee, or hold a political office.
7. Individuals who are pursuing claims against, or defending, law enforcement
agencies in legal proceedings or before a legislative body, whether as
parties, counsel, or lobbyists, are ineligible to serve on the committee.
8. A committee member who is concerned about maintaining objectivity in a
particular review shall be removed from that review.
9. Each committee member serves at the pleasure of the Sheriff. The Sheriff
expects members to attend at l east 70% of all scheduled meetings.
10. A committee member may resign at any time by notifying the Sheriff.
B. Mandate
1. The Sheriff may refer public questions or concern s regarding agency policies
and procedures to the committee for consideration. The committee is
responsible for reviewing and evaluating the policies and procedures to
determine whether the review presents an opportunity for learning and
constructive change.
2. Any member of the pub lic may refer a question to the Sheriff regarding
policies and procedures for possib le committee consideration via email at
ocsocitizensadvisorycommittee@ocsofl.com
3. The committee shall evaluate the email concerns of community members,
have dialogue with law enforcement, and obtain relevant information about
policies and procedures.
4. The agency will provide the committee with available subject matter experts .
C. Other Basic Guidelines
1. The members of the committee are tasked with carrying out their
responsibilities in an unbiased and professional manner using independent
judgment.
2. The committee shall offer recommendations to the Sheriff on policies and
procedures which will be forwarded to the Sheriff.
D. OCSO Responsibilitie s
1. The agency will provide the committee with administrative support and will
coordinate meeting s.
20.1.13, Page 3 of 3
2. The Accreditation/ Quality Assurance Section Commander shall serve as the
agency liaison to the committee.
3. The agency will conduct an orientation session for new committee members
that will include basic instruction on law enforcement operations.
4. The agency will provide the committee with additional training on law
enforcement topics.
5. The agency shall take meeting minutes including the Sheriff’s responses to
recommendations and post to ocso.com .