Candidate: Clarence Dale Ritchhart Jr

To the Citizens of Charlotte County. My name is Dale Ritchhart, Candidate for Sheriff 2020. I am announcing as a non-political affiliation (N.P.A.) candidate because I strongly feel there should not be any politics in Law Enforcement. I will represent all of the residents and visitors to this county regardless of race, creed, color or political preferences to the best of my ability. One of my goals is to communicate with and listen to the citizens of this community. I want to know them, and them to know me. I want to earn their respect and trust for the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). I want them to be proud of and feel safe to reside in this, our community. Through unity and working together as a team we will move forward. Together Everyone Achieves More!

I served the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office with honor, integrity and loyalty for twenty-seven and a half years before retiring in 2010. During this period of time I was promoted to leadership positions because of my leadership skills and my willingness to take on responsibility and liability without fear.  I am a man who believes you must lead from the front, not from the rear and by that I mean not sitting in my office.  I want to be out there overseeing what goes on below me, after all that’s what being a Sheriff is all about. I also believe the Sheriff's Office should run like a business, we do provide a service to the community, which as you all know is safety. I can assure you, under my command, we would bring back the family atmosphere and team work I knew when I served there. I am not a politician nor do I do want to be one. I learned, lived, know and understand Law Enforcement.

In my opinion, diplomacy through communication is a vital tool to help manage people and gain their trust and respect. We need to listen to the people that make up our community and the people that make up the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.

I have worked in the trenches and understand what these people want and need. I also realize there may be areas of the Sheriff's office that will need to be evaluated and changed to put your taxpayer dollars to better use, and I am willing to do that if in fact the changes will benefit the community as well as the Sheriff’s office.

I have twenty-eight years of Law Enforcement experience beginning in 1982 at the South West Florida Police academy where I received the outstanding recruit award, and was hired by the Punta Gorda Police Department, Punta Gorda, Florida.

In 1983 I applied at and was hired by the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), Punta Gorda, Florida. I spent time on road patrol, the traffic unit, criminal investigative unit, the major crimes unit, the narcotics unit and the intelligence unit. Twenty-three years of my career at the Sheriff’s Office was spent in investigative units. I was also a Task Force Agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at the Ft. Myers Florida Regional Office. I was also part of a Florida State Task Force investigating Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, a Florida State Task Force investigating statewide Cargo Theft and State wide narcotics investigation task force. I also assisted in the recruitment division by conducting background checks on prospective agency candidates. I was an eighteen (18) year member of the Special Weapons and Tactics Unit (SWAT), serving as a sniper for the last two years. Also part of my duties as a SWAT team member were executive protection and high risk prisoner transport details. I also have incident command and active shooter training.

I have eighty-two (82) college credits through Edison State College where I studied criminal justice and education. I also has several hundreds of hours of in service and specialized training, while employed by the CCSO. Since retiring, I attended a local Charlotte County Government course to try and learn more about how Charlotte County Operates. I have eighty (80) hours of Line Supervision training and eighty (80) hours of Mid Management training. In 2009 I attended a nine week (360 hour) Senior Leadership Course offered by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) in Tallahassee, Florida. While attending this course I authored a paper regarding Marijuana Grow Houses which is published on the FDLE web site

I rose to the rank of Lt. Commander of the Narcotics Unit and later a road patrol Lt. District Commander. I retired from the CCSO in June of 2010 as an Honorary Captain. During my career, I received various service awards including the Sheriff’s medal and letters of accommodation. Since retiring I have worked for the Charlotte County Public School System as a security officer, as an Investigator for the State of Florida Department of Agriculture Division of Licensing, and for Charlotte County Public Works.

I currently hold a valid State of Florida security and private investigator license. I also hold a valid Florida Concealed Weapons Permit.

I am married to my wife Connie Ritchhart and we have been together now for twenty nine years. I have been a stakeholder in this community for over thirty-eight years. Connie was born and raised in Florida and is currently Sr. Vice President at Charlotte State Bank and Trust. She has been in banking for forty-two years. We have seven (7) children and fourteen (14) grandchildren. Six (6) of our children attended and graduated from the Charlotte County Public School System.

I am a past volunteer for Big Brother and Big Sisters of Charlotte County and Habitat for Humanity. I am a current member of Masonic Lodge 115 Punta Gorda for approximately thirty (30) years. I am a past member of Scottish Rite Lodge and the ARABA Shriners Lodge, of Ft. Myers, Florida. I am a current member Elks Lodge #2606 Punta Gorda, Florida for twelve (12) years and I am a current member of the Englewood Moose Lodge #1933 in Englewood, Florida for four (4) years. I am currently on the South Gulf Cove Waterway Advisory Board (SGCWAB), which is position applied for and approved by the Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners (CCBOCC). 

My wife and I were both actively involved with our children’s participation in school and school sports programs. My wife and I were very involved in the Pop Warner Football programs and with other local county sports programs. My wife and I are now currently involved in supporting our grandchildren that reside locally. I formerly coached youth basketball for Tiny Tarpons Basketball Punta Gorda, Florida and St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School basketball team. I was very actively involved with and participated in the softball, football and basketball teams that represented the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. I was a former basketball referee for the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) and refereed basketball games here in Charlotte County. I was very active in local recreational and church league basketball.

As you can see, my wife and I are and have been stake holders in this community for quite some time. I have had a very wonderful life living here and raising a family in Charlotte County. I have also had a very diverse and wonderful Law Enforcement career here in Charlotte County. In closing, I am asking you for your vote to allow me to become the next Sheriff of this great county of ours. Your vote for me is a vote for strong leadership, transparency, communication and a passion driven willingness to make this a safe and better place for all of us to live.

 Thanking you in advance for your support, sincerely,

 Dale Ritchhart………..God Bless America!