PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Driving around Pasco County, there’s one thing that Detective Shawn Rozankowski sees a lot of: Construction.
He keeps a close eye on what’s going on.
“You look for stuff that doesn’t quite look right,” Rozankowski said.
What You Need To Know
- Pasco County will continue to fund initiative aimed at stopping unlicensed contractors through the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office
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- There were more than 100 cases in 2021
- PCSO recommends checking on licensing before hiring a contractor
Rozankowski is an economics crimes detective with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. Back in 2014, he started an initiative aimed at stopping unlicensed contractors that’s resulted in hundreds of cases.
He knows all the signs to look out for.
“Whether it be an unmarked truck, unmarked van,” he said. “If they seem to be taking items into the house that would require a license, copper wiring, plumbing stuff, things like that.”
Thanks to Det. Rozankowski of the @PascoSheriff‘s Office for letting me drive along with him for a bit. The county is continuing to crack down on unlicensed contractors. He told me some of what they look out for. @BN9 pic.twitter.com/0xFU3Y4YOy
— Tim Wronka (@TimWronka) February 3, 2022
The detective says unlicensed contractors are a persistent problem in Pasco County, particularly after storms that leave damage when homeowners are looking for repairs.
In fact, in 2021, there were 104 cases of unlicensed contractors, leading to 68 arrests, according to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. In 2019, there were 95 cases and in 2020, there were 97. Many arrests made are from undercover sting operations.
That’s why the Pasco County Board of Commissioners recently voted to continue funding the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office to track down unlicensed contractors.
But Rozankowski says it’s not all about making arrests. Sometimes, it’s about educating contactors to get the right paperwork.
“It’s a great opportunity to protect our citizens from unlicensed contractors,” he said.
He recommends checking on contractors before they do any work for you.
