The Clermont Police Department (CPD) held its monthly Coffee with a Cop community relations event on Wednesday, April 22nd, at the Friendship Place-Friendly Grounds Community Café, 2400 South US-27, Clermont.

The community event hosted by Central Florida DreamPlex-Clermont was a multifunctional celebration that included Earth Day kits offered for sale by the adults with disabilities clients. The kits are handcrafted vegetable seed gift sets complete with step-by-step garden growing instructions. The Mother’s Day-themed gifts are available for a fundraising donation of $6.00 at the Friendship Place’s Friendly Grounds Café.

Members of the CPD were on hand to answer questions and discuss topics with community members who stopped in to enjoy the morning treats and coffee blends offered. The officers also enjoyed mingling with the DreamPlex clients who were busy with upcoming summer season projects in the community.

Topics of discussion included the 5^th annual Conrad Buckley Memorial Golf Tournament that will take place on May 1st at the Legends Golf Course, 1700 Legendary Blvd., Clermont. Registration begins at 7 am, with opening ceremonies beginning at 8 am. The golf tournament raises funds that are applied to the Conrad Buckley Scholarship program, a program that supports students in the Police Explorer program to attend the police academy, providing them with 770 hours of accredited police training. Ofc. Buckley, 52 years of age, died in 2020 due to complications related to the COVID-19 virus. Multiple sponsorship levels remain available currently. Contact Cpl. Drew Evans at Devans@ClermontFl.org or 352-394-5588 for registration details.

The Clermont Police Department will be participating in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 25^th. Officers will be available in the lobby of the CPD Headquarters, 3600 South US-27, from 10 AM – 2 PM, to receive expired or unused prescription drugs. The drugs will then be disposed of in an environmentally friendly and lawful way.

The police department continues to seek qualified applicants for the position of sworn police officer. A $3,000.00 bonus is offered for people who are currently state-certified by the State of Florida Police Certification Commission. Visit www.JoinCPDFL.com for additional details.

The Friendship Place provides adults with developmental disabilities a safe and engaging daytime program to keep them active mentally and socially in a positive environment while providing respite to caregivers. The attendees have direct and immediate access to physical, speech, and occupational therapy services, as well as recreation and fitness programs to ensure healthy minds, bodies, and souls.

Visit www.CFLDreamplex.com/Friendship-Place.com for additional details.

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K-Kids is one of the largest service leadership programs for primary and elementary school age students, with over 22,000 members and 1,100 clubs worldwide. The first K-Kids was chartered in 2000.

Joining K-Kids means belonging to the Kiwanis family that engages more than 445,000 youth and adults globally from primary/elementary school through adulthood in service. Together, our family of clubs raise almost US$390 million each year.

K-Kids is a student-led club with members, officers, committee chairs and adult advisors. Clubs are in schools, youth organizations, libraries, congregations, and other community-based locations. The host school or organization provides a meeting space for the club and an adult advisor to guide its students. A local Kiwanis club often sponsors a K-Kids club, paying its fees and providing a volunteer Kiwanis advisor.

K-Kids follow the school/organization’s policies and Kiwanis International youth protection policies. The Kiwanis International staff in Indiana, USA, provides club program materials, opportunities for awards and contest, and training and support for club advisors.

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Proceeds from the event will directly benefit both organizations and their missions to support law enforcement families and officers. Central Florida C.O.P.S. (Concerns of Police Survivors) is dedicated to rebuilding the shattered lives of surviving family members and co-workers affected by a line-of-duty death, offering resources, counseling, and ongoing support.

The Code 4 Initiative also provides critical assistance, focusing on the well-being of law enforcement officers and their families through programs that promote mental health, peer support, and financial assistance in times of need.

The success of the Honoring the Fallen 5K reflects the community’s continued commitment to honoring fallen heroes while supporting those left behind.

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Ginger Kane, Florida Sports Hall of Fame

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The Clermont Police Department has been an accredited law enforcement agency through the State of Florida Commission for Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA) since 2004. With that accreditation, the department takes great strides in ensuring that its officers receive the latest training in technology, de-escalation techniques, tactics, use of force, and strategies, just to name a few.

The department maintains a full-time training unit composed of in-house trainers who are, at a minimum, certified in firearms training, defensive tactics, law enforcement vehicle operations, search techniques, and legal updates. The training division is also responsible for the assignment and monitoring of new officers and their trainers in the field training portion of new-hire training.

With that training, the department also takes extra steps in providing the necessary technology required to not only keep officers safer but also provide additional options for those officers to de-escalate violent people in hostile situations with an effort to minimize injuries to both the officer and the suspect. One such option is the recently introduced Axon Taser 10 energy weapon. The taser has a 10-cartridge capability and also allows for a longer range, up to 45 feet, of capability when deployed. The increase from the previous 25-foot capacity provides more time and space for decision-making by the officer and a reduction in risk for everyone involved.

Along with the 10-cartridge capability, compared to the previous 4-cartridge ability, the new taser also has a differing sound tone when a good connection is made, alerting the officer that he or she is on target. Individually targeted probes dramatically improve accuracy and effectiveness, expanding the situations in which the taser can be utilized.

Representatives from Axon proclaim that the “Axon Taser 10 ushers in the potential for a less-lethal future, and we are confident it will be a key factor in helping to cut gun-related deaths between police and the public by 50% in the next 10 years.” Research has shown that ineffective taser deployments can result in an escalation to lethal force and that over 80% of officer-involved shootings occur within a 40-foot range.

In addition to the new tasers, the Clermont Police Department has included the Axon Virtual Reality  training package and Axon Network technology. The innovative training allows the entire department to be trained in-house, therefore eliminating travel costs, overtime and staff shortages that are often accrued when officers are required to travel to outside training sites.

Clermont Police Sergeant Ethan Bell and Lt. Daniel Moser provided a demonstration of the virtual training. Officers are equipped with virtual reality headsets that provide random scenarios for use of force and de-escalation situations. The scenarios can be monitored by nearby training staff through a standard tablet or computer screen. “The training allows officers to gain confidence and accuracy, while enhancing the officer’s proficiency. The training also helps officers to improve use-of-force decision-making while also practicing de-escalation techniques,” says Sgt. Bell.

The Axon Network function connects the Taser 10 to body-worn cameras and in-car cameras, as well as a real-time operations platform. The additional capabilities ensure that agencies never miss a critical moment on their cameras and increase visibility that supports greater transparency and accountability. The program also includes a real-time records productivity software suite that helps officers save time on compiling reports.

Another critical component of the software is the “smart holster” technology. The Taser 10 has an onboard sensor that pairs with certified holsters, allowing the Taser 10 to detect when it has been removed from a holster. Taser 10 logs the holster event and emits a wireless signal to alert local body cameras in the vicinity to begin recording. The department also requires that each officer relinquish body camera and taser memory cartridges to a secure portal in the police station that locks when the cartridge is inserted. The data is retained for a variety of reasons, including court purposes and citizen complaint investigations.

The Clermont Police Department provides extensive training opportunities for its officers, including a fully equipped, in-house workout gym that allows officers to stay fit and capable of handling the strenuous job requirements that they face on a daily basis.

Visit www.ClermontFl.gov/262/police-department for a full listing of career opportunities, accreditation information, and community activities.

(Some of the photos courtesy of Axon Inc.)

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Participating schools included East Ridge High School, Eustis High School, Leesburg High School, Montverde Academy, Mount Dora Christian Academy, Mount Dora High School, Pinecrest Lake Prep, South Lake High School, South Sumter High School, Tavares High School, The Villages High School, Umatilla High School, and Wildwood Middle High School.

Each team tackled 40 complex math problems within a 60-minute time frame, covering topics ranging from college-level algebra to advanced concepts in pre-calculus and trigonometry. The competition tested not only accuracy but also speed, as teams earned bonus points for being the first to submit correct answers—adding a strategic element to the challenge.

“Mathlympics is an opportunity for students to engage deeply with mathematics in a way that is both rigorous and inspiring,” said Dr. Megan Cavanah, Dean of Mathematics. “Our faculty take great pride in every aspect of this event, from crafting challenging problems and designing an engaging theme to creating a welcoming environment and recognizing students with meaningful awards. The event is a true reflection of LSSC’s commitment to student learning, collaboration, and excellence in mathematics.”

After an intense round of competition, Montverde Academy’s Team B claimed first place.

The top four teams were:

• Montverde Academy (Team B)
• Eustis High School (Team A)
• East Ridge High School (Team B)
• South Sumter High School (Team A)

An honorable mention was awarded to Montverde Academy Team A, which would have placed in the top four but was ineligible under competition rules limiting final rankings to one team per school.

Rounding out the top 10 were teams from Pinecrest Lake Prep, East Ridge High School, The Villages High School, Mount Dora Christian Academy, and South Sumter High School. Notably, two teams finished with identical scores, with final placement determined by a tiebreaker based on performance on the most challenging 20-point questions.

LSSC’s math faculty take pride in crafting a unique and engaging problem set each year—one that emphasizes curiosity, logic, and creativity alongside technical skill. This thoughtful approach has helped establish Mathlympics as a respected and highly anticipated academic event in the region.

“Events like Mathlympics reflect our commitment to academic excellence and community partnership,” said Karen Hogans, Vice President of Academic Affairs. “We are proud to provide a space where students can challenge themselves, connect with peers, and experience the excitement of higher-level learning. We look forward to celebrating 40 years of Mathlympics next year.”

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The Extreme Temperature and Emergency Weather Shelter Improvements project will outfit the gymnasium to serve as a climate-controlled refuge during severe weather events. Planned upgrades include a privacy divider curtain system to create organized shelter spaces, 40 to 50 emergency sleeping cots, and additional facility enhancements aimed at doubling overall shelter readiness.

The facility will serve residents across South Lake County, with a focus on those most vulnerable to extreme temperatures and severe weather. The gymnasium will also function as a pet-friendly shelter, allowing residents to seek safety without leaving animals behind.

“This investment reflects our commitment to protecting the health and safety of our community, especially during times of crisis,” said Susan McLean, grants committee chair for the Live Well Foundation of South Lake. “By enhancing South Lake County’s local shelter capabilities, we are helping to ensure that residents have access to safe, supportive spaces when they need them most.”

Goals of the project include reducing health risks from extreme weather exposure, strengthening local disaster preparedness, and improving emergency response infrastructure. The foundation said the initiative supports its broader mission of building long-term community resilience.

For more information about the Live Well Foundation of South Lake and its grantmaking initiatives, visit www.LWFSL.org.

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 Students in Mrs. Burrell’s Middle School Engineering Design class at Montverde Academy recently combined creativity, coding, and electrical engineering to build their own playable guitars using BBC micro:bits. Students designed and constructed cardboard guitars, researched songs that could be played using just three notes and programmed their micro:bits to produce those notes. 

To play their instruments, students completed a simple circuit by holding the ground connection, allowing their bodies to help close the circuit and trigger the programmed chords. Through this project, students explored concepts such as basic circuitry, programming logic, prototyping, and iterative design, while also learning how engineering can intersect with music and creativity. 

“This project shows students that engineering isn’t just about building machines,” said Mrs. Burrell. “It’s about solving problems, being creative, and realizing that you can design something from simple materials and turn it into a working piece of technology.” 

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