Sarasota Police Department Captain Lori Jaress and Sarasota County Sheriff’s Captain David Scott are retiring after a combined 54 years in law enforcement.
SARASOTA — Picture this: You’ve come home from a hard day at work and you’re too tired to explain. Your husband looks at you, and you quietly whisper: "Signal 7."
He gives you a hug and makes dinner without saying a word.
Captains Lori Jaress and David Scott’s relationship is like that. The lifelong law enforcement officers understand each other — and the commitment they made when they swore to protect the public and made vows to each other.
For those who don’t know, "Signal 7" is police lingo for a report of a dead person, one of the worst calls an officer can get.
Together, Jaress and Scott have 54 years of law enforcement experience. They spent a lot of time on opposite shifts — Scott with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and Jaress with the Sarasota Police Department.
Jaress and Scott met on Siesta Key in 2006 and learned they had a lot in common, particularly with their careers. They were both the first in their families to join law enforcement.
The couple wed in 2011 on New Year’s Eve.
"A career in law enforcement allowed us to help make our community a safer place to live, and we had the opportunity to move around within our respective agencies to work in different areas that interested us," Scott said. "For me, it was corrections, patrol, community policing, investigations, youth services, high-risk tactical team and field intelligence."
Jaress became a police officer on Jan. 2, 1991. "I can honestly say going into law enforcement was my calling. I loved being a police officer and all the challenges that came with it."
Scott began his law enforcement career in 1994 when he was hired as a Sarasota County corrections deputy. He was transferred to the patrol bureau and served in community policing, criminal investigations and youth services.
He was promoted to sergeant and transferred to the tactical unit where he earned a unit citation for "Operation Booster Buster, a retail theft operation that resulted in 59 arrests and two warrants in 2013.
Later in 2013, Scott was promoted to lieutenant and assigned to the Courts and Corrections Division. He was promoted to captain in 2018. He graduated from the Southern Police Institute’s Command Officer Development Course and has a master’s degree from the University of South Florida.
Jaress and Scott knew they had to make sacrifices to be part of law enforcement. It meant a lot of time working opposite shifts.
"As a street officer, I remember meeting an older lady named Rose. It was a welfare check," Jaress said. "She was 90-something. She was unable to walk her dog. I started going over there to walk her dog. I rescued dogs."
But saving lives is what Jaress remembers best.
"Saving people," she said. "Things like that you always remember."
The couple learned that, for an officer, nothing is black and white, cut and dry.
"The truth is always somewhere in the middle," Scott said. "You use common sense and good judgment and make the best decision you can. We may not have time to think about it, but we have to react to save our own lives."
Lori and David said the Ferguson, Missouri, riots changed their lives.
"Somebody will see a story on the news about a cop who did something bad," the couple said. "They will assume all cops are bad. You will have people tell you to your face you’re bad. We will be the first ones who will get rid of a bad officer. We don’t want anyone to tarnish our badge.
"We wish we could have a sign that says, ‘Don’t judge us all by the behavior of a few.’ Our agency does not tolerate it. It’s very upsetting."
During her 29-year career, Jaress primarily worked on the streets. She caught drug dealers, was on the crisis negotiation team for over 10 years, was the special response commander who oversaw SWAT, bomb squad, a hostage negotiator, and a member of the Dive team.
She graduated from two of law enforcement’s most prestigious training schools: the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Academy and Southern Police Institute.
Jaress earned the Distinguished Service Medal, seven unit commendations, four unit citations and 10 commendations.
Jaress, an Ironman athlete, said she was fortunate to meet someone who understands her.
Understanding
"When she has a bad day, she can give me a 10 code and we know how she feels," Scott said. "We understand each other's emotions because we are in the same field. We worked every holiday and night shift. ... In one way it has its challenges, but we understand each other's job."
That’s why the couple has decided to retire.
After more than two decades in law enforcement, they don’t want to overstay. They want to take time to travel together and enjoy retirement.
"Dave was a well-respected at every level of the sheriff’s office," Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight said. "He had a full career, starting in the jail and then moving to patrol operations where he distinguished himself. His final chapter was to be promoted to the rank of captain, and commanding back where he started, at the jail. He was an instrumental leader, both formally and informally, at the sheriff’s office. He can enjoy his retirement with Lori knowing he did it the ‘right way.’"
DiPino said about Jaress, "Her positive spirit and uplifting attitude is such a treasure to the Sarasota Police Department. I wish her happiness and success, and I will miss her presence greatly. ... She does honor to the blue uniform and badge she wears every single day. She deserves it. She has had an honorable career."
Tony McEachern of the Team Tony Cancer Foundation says that Jaress was there with him when he was diagnosed with cancer.
"My definition of a friend is someone who is there any time you need them whether you ask or don’t ask," he said. "That's who Lori is. Lori stands up and puts her hands up whenever something is asked of her. She is just always there. ... Team Tony wouldn't be here without our signature fundraiser. That fundraiser wouldn't have happened without her and Dave."
Jaress and Scott said they wanted to leave while they were healthy enough to enjoy retirement.
Jaress said, "He (Scott) put it to me like this: ‘How many summers do you think we have left? Do you want to spend your next five summers working? I’m going to be off planning and traveling.
"No, I don’t. It took some self-relocating and looking at life. I served the community for over 30 years. I looked at predecessors before me who stayed too long and didn’t have their health."
They will hop between the mountains of North Carolina and Sarasota, hiking, biking and fishing.
They want to be part of nature and spend time with family.
Scott wants to get a motor home and travel for six months to national parks.
Jaress’ retirement is set for June, her grandmother’s birthday.
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