Arrest by St. Petersburg Police Department
If you were arrested by an officer or detective with the St. Petersburg Police Department, then contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at Sammis Law Firm.
The St. Petersburg Police Department (“SPPD”) is located at 1301 First Avenue North in St. Petersburg, FL. The main number is (727) 893-7521.
Created in 1903, the St. Petersburg Police Department has grown to more than 600 sworn officers and more than 300 civilians civilian employees. The SPPD provides law enforcement services to more than 260,000 residents in the city. Anthony Holloway serves as the chief of police. Under his leadership, the agency uses popular outreach programs including the Park Walk and Talk program to stay in touch with the community.
The SPPD is accredited by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc. (CFA) and the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA).
Attorney for Arrest by the Police in St. Petersburg, FL
After an arrest in St. Petersburg, FL, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at Sammis Law Firm. We have experienced fighting cases involving officers with the St. Petersburg Police Department when an arrest is made for a felony, misdemeanor, or DUI accusation.
If your money, vehicle, or other property was seized for forfeiture by the police in St. Petersburg, FL, we can respond to the notice of seizure by immediately filing the demand for an adversarial preliminary hearing.
We understand the standard operating procedures used by the St. Petersburg Police Department when investigating cases. Sometimes small mistakes by the arresting officer can make a big difference in how the case is resolved. By understanding how this agency operates, your attorney has the best chance of locating all exculpatory evidence.
Sammis Law Firm’s office in Pinellas County is located near the courthouse at 14010 Roosevelt Blvd Suite 701, Clearwater, FL 33762-3820. Our office is in the same office complex as the Bureau of Administrative Reviews, a division of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV).
We welcome your calls. Contact us by calling 727-210-7004 during normal business hours to be connect to an attorney. After normal business hours, leave a message and our on duty attorney will call you right back.
The Three Districts of the PCSO
The St. Petersburg Police Department is divided into three districts.
District One covers Albert Whitted Airport, Bayfront Hospital, Bethel Heights, Campbell Park, Coquina Key, Eckerd College, Harbordale, Jordan Park, Lakewood Estates, Lassing Park, Maximo, Roser Park, and Skyway Bridge.
District Two covers Downtown, Fossil Park, Harris Park, Meadowlawn, Northshore Park, Old Northeast, Placido Bayou, Shore Acres, Snell Isle, St. Anthony’s Hospital, The Pier, The Vinoy, and Tropicana Field.
District Three covers Azalea, Childs Park, Garden Manor, Holiday Park, St. Pete General Hospital, Tyrone Square Mall, United Central, and Yacht Club Estates.
Officers with the St. Petersburg Police Department work closely with the other law enforcement agencies in Pinellas County including the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol.
Obtaining Exculpatory Evidence from SPPD’s Legal Department
In criminal cases, your criminal defense attorney should make a special request to the St. Petersburg Police Department (SPPD) Legal Department to obtain any information they possess about the case. After the SPPD Legal Department receives the discovery request, and is processed in the order in which it was received. The turnaround time varies based on the number of requests pending at the time of the submission, but does not typically exceed 3-4 weeks.
The SPPD Legal Department only facilitates discovery of electronic evidence in criminal cases on behalf of the State Attorney’s Office. Such electronic evidence includes BWC footage, surveillance videos, and photographs that have been uploaded to Evidence.com.
The SPPD Legal Department does not provide discovery for evidence that is not typically stored on Evidence.com, such as police reports, in-house interviews, radio communications, 911 calls, MDT content, CAD notes, DUI packets, search warrants, subpoena returns, etc. Nevertheless, obtaining that evidence is also important in most cases. For those kinds of evidence, the criminal defense attorney will typically make a public record request and/or file a motion to compel the records with the court to be served on the State Attorney’s Office and the SPPD Legal Department.
In some cases, the St. Petersburg Police Department charges $6.00 for copies of 911 calls and other recorded lines. Extensive requests will be charged additional labor fees at a rate of $26.00 per hour. The DUI Video requests on CD/DVD: $3.00 per video plus postage paid envelope.
Arrest for Drunk or Impaired Driving by St. Petersburg Police Department
The attorneys at Sammis Law Firm represent clients arrested for drunk or impaired driving (DUI) in St. Petersburg, FL. We are familiar with the breath testing program used at the police station. Other DUI cases might involve a blood or urine test, or a refusal to submit to testing.
The breath test machines at the police station in St. Petersburg, FL, are maintained by Inspector Michael D. Weiskopf. Inspector Weiskopf also conducts monthly inspections and sends the machines off for necessary repairs. The CMI Intoxilyzer 8000 breathalyzer machines issued to the St. Petersburg Police Department include serial numbers 80-001051 and 80-001078.
Read more about how officers with the St. Petersburg Police Department make DUI arrests in Pinellas County, FL.
Notice of Seizure for Forfeiture Hearings in St. Petersburg, FL
Did you receive a notice of seizure from the St. Petersburg Police Department (SPPD)? The notice tells you that your property was seized because of an alleged violation of the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act found in Section 932.701 – 912.7062, Florida Statutes.
If you received a notice of seizure from the police department in St. Petersburg, FL, contact an attorney to help you get the property back quickly. We can help you file a demand for an adversarial preliminary hearing to show that there was no probable cause to seize the property in the first place or that the agency violated your rights.
Filing the demand for the APH requires sending it via certified mail, return receipt requested, to the St. Petersburg Police Department, Legal Division, 1300 First Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33705, 727-893-7292.
Administrative Order 2016-039-PI-CIR (07/01/2016) sets out the rules for forfeiture proceedings in Pinellas County, FL, in the Sixth Judicial Circuit.
Read more about domestic violence investigations at the St. Petersburg Police Department.
This article was last updated on Friday, December 5, 2025.
