The Planning and Development Division includes Grant Application and Management, Media Relations, and Special Events. It is also responsible for the development of new programs and long-range planning.

The division has procured since 1994 nearly 9 million dollars in grants for homeland security, Cops in Schools, technology, and new programs, such as Project Lifesaver.

The Division is also responsible for dealing on a daily basis with the local, state, and frequently the national media through press releases, information on a special telephone media-line, interviews, and on the website. Personnel from the Division also train new recruits at the Training Academy in Media Relations.

Planning and Development helps conduct Citizen Academy classes yearly. It schedules the instructors, develops the curriculum and course outline, determines who is in the class, and shoots and edits a special video for the graduation.

In addition, the office organizes special events such as the annual Officer of the Year, Victims’ Rights Week, and Sheriff’s Appreciation Day.

The office also shoots and edits special projects for other departments in the Sheriff’s Office such as a Critical Incident Rapid Response video for the Training Division.