May 21, 2013
OCSO Corporal Gary Venuti has been named the top School Resource Officer in the State by the Florida Association of School Resource Officers.
Corporal Venuti has been a deputy with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’ Office approximately twenty years and a supervisor with the Youth Services Division for more than fifteen.
Corporal Venuti is currently assigned to Ruckel Middle School in Niceville, where he also coaches the girls’ softball team. In addition, he has been a member of the OCSO Honor Guard for fourteen years and is Team Leader.
"You couldn’t find a more deserving officer,” said Sheriff Larry Ashley. “Anyone who knows Corporal Venuti and has seen him in action knows that he is as dedicated and compassionate an SRO as you can find.
For example, when a new student at his school had his bicycle stolen, he didn’t want the boy to focus on this first negative experience, so he gave him his own brand new bicycle, saying he felt the student’s need outweighed his own.
We are proud to have Corporal Venuti as a co-worker and a friend and congratulate him on this statewide achievement.”
