Port Richey Police Department
Port Richey is a city in Pasco County, Florida, with an approximate population of 3,000 and a total area of 2.7 square miles. Chief Cyrus Robinson currently serves as the police chief. Former Police Chiefs include Gerard DeCanio and Rob Lovering. The Port Richey Police Department’s main entrance is located on the north side of City Hall at 6333 Ridge Rd, Port Richey, FL 34668.
The Records & Administration office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. At last count, the agency had eleven (11) sworn officers plus additional support staff.
The Port Richey Police Department’s roots date back to 1926. In 1978, the city council voted to abolish the police department and requested that the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office provide temporary police protection. The city police department was reestablished one year later.
Attorneys for an Arrest by the Port Richey Police Department
If you were arrested by an officer with the Port Richey Police Department, contact a criminal defense attorney at Sammis Law Firm. With offices conveniently located in New Port Richey and Tampa, FL, we are here to help.
If you are charged with a crime, contact us to discuss the facts of your case, the pending charges, and the best defenses to fight the charges. Our offices are in New Port Richey at 7509 Little Road, directly across from the courthouse.
We are also familiar with the standard operating procedures used by other local law enforcement agencies in Pasco County, including:
- Pasco Sheriff’s Office;
- New Port Richey Police Department;
- Dade City Police Department; and
- Zephyrhills Police Department.
We fight felony, misdemeanor, and DUI cases throughout Pasco County at the courthouse in New Port Richey and Dade City, FL.
Call us at 727-807-6392.
Port Richey PD’s Breath Test Machine – 80-000967
The Port Richey PD brought its first Intoxilyzer 8000 breath test machine online in 2022. That breath test machine was registered for evidentiary breath alcohol testing in Florida on April 8, 2022. An officer from another agency dropped off instrument 80-000967 and its registration paperwork (the only records the agency currently had at that time).
On April 21, 2022, the agency was sent a list of compatible printers and agency codes. An officer from another agency donated three simulators, which initially passed the temp/leak checks. The department inspector’s field notes indicated that the breath testing area at the Port Richey PD was still being set up; however, the agency had adequately described plans to meet the Secure/Limited Access requirements of Chapter 11D-8, FAC. The department inspector recommended adding a fan to increase airflow in the room.
The current agency inspector for the police department in Port Richey, FL, Officer Jeffrey “Jeff” W. McConnel, was sworn in as an officer in November 2019. Before joining the Port Richey Police Department, he was an officer with the New Port Richey Police Department, where he was selected by a group of his peers as the New Port Richey Police Department’s Officer of the Year in 2017.
On January 5, 2023, the FDLE issued an agency inspection data review form indicating that, during an inspection on August 14, 2022, Agency Inspector Jeffrey McConnell failed to correctly record the reason for not completing the agency inspection on 80-000967. When the Form 40 was amended at the request of FDLE, Officer McConnell wrote: “Improper keystroke when reviewing the .08 alcohol reference results, which bypassed the .20 testing and final diagnosis check. It appears that the remark was improperly backdated to August 14, 2022.
The FDLE’s records include an instrument processing sheet showing that the Port Richey PD conducted an annual inspection on the Intoxilyzer with serial number 80-000967 on March 26, 2025. The department inspection report was signed by Taylor D. Gutschow. The R-value was recorded as 124.
On March 20, 2024, Alfonso L. Lowry began an inspection, which was completed unsuccessfully. In the remarks section of the form, Alfonso L. Lowry types in the following remark: “BYPASS AI FOR INSTRUMENT OPERATION COMPLIANCE NOT DETERMINE.” On 3/27/2024, Department Inspector Shayla D. Platt conducted a department inspection. The machine was returned to service after its agency inspection, conducted on April 10, 2024.
The agency was unable to conduct a successful inspection in July or August 2024. On September 30, 2024, a monthly inspection was conducted before the machine was sent to FDLE for another department inspection. That second department inspection was conducted on October 14, 2024, by Destinee N. Armstrong, who noted a problem with the AF / MA test, which she attributed to “INSUFFICIENT SAMPLE”.
On October 28, 2024, the machine was brought online after an agency inspection. There is no record of an agency inspection in November or December of 2024, although subject tests were conducted during those months. The FDLE website does show an agency inspection for January 29, 2025.
DUI Arrests by Officers with the Port Richey Police Department
In 2024, the Port Richey Police Department honored Officer Jeffrey McConnell with the Good Conduct Award. This award recognizes officers who consistently perform their duties effectively while maintaining a positive attitude and representing the agency with the highest professionalism over a designated period of time.
In addition to Officer Jeff McConnel, other breath test officers with the Port Richey PD include:
- LAKE,PALMER,A
- ZIMMERMAN,J
- PEAL,DANIAL,J
Additional Resources
Port Richey Police Department – Visit the City of Port Richey’s website to learn more about the local police department, including its address, phone number, and hours of operation.
Port Richey Police Department on Facebook – The Mission Statement of the Port Richey Police Department is to protect the lives and property and enhance the quality of life, reduce the fear of crime, act as professionals with integrity, dignity, fairness, and respect for our citizens, elected officials and fellow officers.
This article was last updated on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.
