Craig Latimer
Title: Captain, Youth and Family Division
Specialty: Child abuse investigations, juvenile justice, empowering communities to make change in the juvenile justice system
Contact Information:
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office
1501 N. Faulkenberg Rd
Tampa FL 33619
Phone: (813) 627-2100
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Details:
Topics of expertise:
Child abuse investigations, juvenile justice, empowering communities to make change in the juvenile justice system
Educational and Professional Background:
Capt. Latimer has a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Technological Education. He has been with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office for more than 30 years. He has done patrol, canine and undercover work, but the bulk of his career has been in latent (follow up) investigations. He’s been in the investigation field, homicide, robbery and crimes of violence, including sex crimes. He formerly headed the County Sheriff’s Youth and Family Program, handling issues from crimes against kids and runaways to domestic violence. Capt. Latimer volunteers in his spare time to work with juvenile delinquents.
What kind of grants have you had?
“The Kids and Canines in Hillsborough County started as a federal program. I have also been involved in truancy grants.”
News you can use:
There are 11,000 allegations of child abuse each year in Hillsborough County.
What do you think is the biggest issue in your field right now?
“Getting appropriate services to children and families when they need it.”
What have you learned from your research that you wish every professional knew?
“One of the biggest problems I see is families letting a problem manifest until it is out of control. We get calls saying, ‘my kid is 14 and out of control, and we investigate and find out there has been no discipline.’ ”
What have you learned from your research that you wish everyone knew?
“What’s important to me is that the problem we have in the community – crime and out-of-control kids – is a community problem. As a community we have a responsibility to step to the plate. Someone who’s not had a special needs child does not understand that situation. It takes a village to raise a child, but it takes the whole community to raise the quality of life.”
