Zephyrhills Police Department

The Zephyrhills Police Department is organized into the Administrative Services and Operations divisions.

The Operations Division includes the Uniform Patrol Section and the Criminal Investigation Section.

David Shears, the city’s longtime police chief, retired after 25 years of service. The city promoted Derek Brewer, a 15-year veteran of the agency, to replace him on an interim basis.

In 2018, the Zephyrhills Police Department paid $30,000 in start-up costs to obtain body cameras mounted on their chests.

Many patrol vehicles owned by the police department in Zephyrhills, FL, already had dash cams.

Cameras are also attached to tasers. Video evidence is essential in the criminal justice system and increases transparency.

Lawyers for Zephyrhills Police Department Cases

After an arrest by an officer with the police department in Zephyrhills, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at Sammis Law Firm.

With offices in New Port Richey, our lawyers represent clients after an arrest by any law enforcement agencies in Pasco County, FL, including the Zephyrhills Police Department.

We are also familiar with the standard operating procedures used by other law enforcement agencies in Pasco County, including:

• the Pasco Sheriff’s Office;
• the Dade City Police Department;
• the Port Richey Police Department; and
• the New Port Richey Police Department.

Our criminal defense attorneys take an aggressive approach to fighting a variety of felony, misdemeanor, and DUI cases.

Don’t speak with an officer or detective about the criminal accusation until you have spoken to an attorney. We can begin your defense today.

For a free consultation about a pending case or investigation.

Set up a phone or office visit to speak to an attorney about your best defense and ways to protect your rights.

Call 727-807-6392.

DUI Arrests by the Zephyrhills Police Department

After an arrest for DUI in Zephyrhills, FL, you might be asked to take a breath test on the Intoxilyzer 8000.

The Intoxilyzer 8000 is the only evidentiary breathalyzer currently being used in Florida.

The Zephyrhills Police Department maintains an Intoxilyzer 8000 machine with serial number 80-001076.

Lieutenant Nathan R. Gardner served as an agency inspector for the Intoxilyzer 8000 in Zephyrhills, FL,

The breath test machine used in Zephyrhills encountered several serious problems in 2017, including:

• problems with the alcohol-free tests;
• numerous controls outside of tolerance;
• restarting inspections after unexplained failures;
• unexplained logins; and
• excuses for not connecting tubes during inspections.

The problems were even worse in 2018, including:

• an ambient fail in January;
• a non-compliant inspection in February;
• no inspection in March*; and
• a slope detector problem in April.

*The problems were so back that on April 2, 2018, Danielle M. Bell, Department Inspector with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, sent Lieutenant Nathan Gardner an email asking if he had trouble uploading the data because no monthly inspection was completed in March.

Lieutenant Gardner responded:

“no there was no trouble – I screwed up and forgot to complete one. What do I do now? I haven’t had this happen before.”

Remember that the agency inspector’s job is to complete a monthly inspection.

Problems with the Breath Testing Program in Zephyrhills, FL

In addition to these problems, even bigger problems existed with how errors were reported or not reported.

Several unexplained logins can be observed in the electronic data suggesting even more problems that were not adequately documented.

Any lack of substantial compliance can lead to the entire breath test reading being excluded from evidence which might lead to an outright dismissal of the charges (or at least a reduction to less serious charges such as reckless driving).

In these cases, your DUI defense attorney can file a motion to suppress the breath test results for lack of substantial compliance with the statutes and administrative rules that govern the breath testing programs in Zephyrhills, Florida.

As a result of these problems, DUI suspects arrested by the Zephyrhills Police Department are often transported to the Pasco County Jail in Land O Lakes for testing at the jail.

At the jail, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office maintains the Intoxilyzer 8000 machines.

Additional Resources

Zephyrhills Police Department – Visit the website for the City of Zephyrhills to learn more about the local police department. You can also learn more about ongoing investigations, active calls, police activity, and services for the victims of crime.

Zephyrhills PD on Facebook – Follow the Zephyrhills PD on Facebook to find photos, recent police activity, upcoming events, and public service announcements.

@ZephyrhillsPD on Twitter – Follow the Zephyrhills PD on Twitter to find agency news, public service announcements, and upcoming events.

Zephyrhills DUI School Information – Visit the website for Pasco County to find a flyer with information on enrolling in and attending DUI school at Pride Integrated Services, Inc. The Pride DUI School has an office at 7064 Fort Kind Road, Zephyrhills, FL 33541. The flyer explains what you need to bring, what you should expect during the two or three days of classroom instruction, the forms of payment accepted, how much it costs to enroll in Level I or II, and the normal office hours. You might be required to bring proof of enrollment and completion to probation or the DHSMV to obtain a hardship license or reinstate your full driving privileges after a DUI arrest.

Finding a Zephyrhills DUI Lawyer to Fight the Case

The attorneys at Sammis Law Firm fight DUI cases. We can help you demand a formal review hearing at the DHSMV BAR in Clearwater, FL, to contest the administrative suspension of your driver’s license.

We can also help you fight the DUI charges in court in New Port Richey or Dade City, FL.

Call us to find out why we ALWAYS recommend demanding a formal review hearing within the first ten (10) days of your arrest.

Don’t stipulate that you were DUI for administrative purposes just to get an immediate hardship license.

Instead, find out the benefits of demanding a formal review hearing and getting a 42-day permit so that your attorney can challenge the administrative suspension of your driver’s license.

Contact our Pasco DUI Lawyers at Sammis Law Firm for a free and confidential consultation.

Call 727-807-6392.

This article was last updated on Tuesday, May 2, 2023.