Hernando County Sheriff Hosts Breakfast Event to Connect With Brooksville Community

Sheriff Al Nienhuis and more than a dozen officers from the Hernando County Sheriff's Office COPPS unit traded patrol duties for coffee pots and food trays Tuesday morning, serving customers at Breakfast Station #3 on South Broad Street as part of the agency's "Breakfast with the Sheriff" event.

The officers spent over an hour working nearly every station at the restaurant, located at 1242 South Broad Street in Brooksville, bringing drinks, coffee, and plates of food to tables, according to an HCSO Facebook post cited by the Hernando Sun. Photos taken by Lucas Garrett show uniformed officers weaving through the dining room with coffee cups and food orders in hand, indistinguishable in manner from the restaurant's own staff.

For at least one customer, the morning shift left an impression. "I feel like it definitely ... makes them seem more like people and less like, oh, there's the police," said Cecilia, a patron at the restaurant. "It is more humanizing."

The event reflects a broader community engagement philosophy at HCSO, which serves a county of 218,150 residents as of July 1, 2024, a population the agency notes has grown by nearly 390% since 1980, making Hernando one of the fastest-growing counties in the country. The sheriff's office has framed its mission not only around law enforcement but around civic education, a stance visible in programs like the Citizens Academy, which runs across 10 consecutive Thursdays in both afternoon and evening sessions and concludes with a ride-along on patrol. Those interested can reach the Community Relations office at 352-797-3689.

HCSO also operates Explorer Post #409, a free program established in 1984 and chartered by the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Open to young people between 14 and 21 who have completed eighth grade and maintain at least a C average, the post trains participants with certified law enforcement instructors in areas including traffic stops, crash investigations, and crisis intervention, and offers a firearms familiarization course. The post is headquartered at 18900 Cortez Boulevard in Brooksville and can be reached at (352) 754-6830, Ext. 53750.

For non-emergency matters, residents can contact HCSO at (352) 754-6830. In an emergency, call 911.