Captain Mark Morey of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and district safety leaders told a school board workshop that Florida Statute chapter 39 makes almost everyone a mandatory reporter and that school staff should err on the side of reporting suspected child abuse.

The guidance reviewed who must report, how and when to use the Department of Children and Families (DCF) hotline, and how the sheriff’s office and school resource officers (SROs) coordinate criminal investigations. Officials emphasized the hotline phone number as the fastest way to get DCF attention and urged staff to make both a DCF call and a law‑enforcement notification when there is any question about a child’s safety.

At the center of the discussion was a practical framework for school staff: call law enforcement or an SRO immediately for criminal allegations, and call the statewide DCF hotline by phone (rather than web intake) when you have reasonable cause to suspect abuse, abandonment or neglect. Captain Morey said the hotline phone route typically reaches the local DCF office faster than an online report and described two types of DCF responses: immediate (for intakes indicating imminent danger) and within 24 hours (for other investigations).

Officials warned that certain reporters — for example, teachers, health professionals and law enforcement — cannot be anonymous in DCF intakes, and that failure to report can be a third‑degree felony. "At the end of the day, when in doubt, report it," Captain Morey said. "Do what you think you need to do to cover yourselves…report it if you feel like you need to." Troy Nelson, who manages the district’s Office of Professional Standards, added that administrators should document who called DCF and when, and keep that record in the school’s incident binder.

Speakers also reviewed investigative practice: an SRO or other law‑enforcement officer should conduct victim interviews at school, because judicial and administrative rules limit the number and format of child interviews; preserving evidence (including electronic devices and clothing) and securing a potential crime scene were listed as priorities. For sexual‑assault evidence officials noted the practical 72‑hour window for certain forensic evidence and the utility of SANE exams.

School leaders pressed for clarity about who should make the DCF call when multiple adults know of an allegation. Officials advised: do not assume someone else will call. Paul D’Amico, the district’s chief of safety and security, and Captain Morey said school staff should call the hotline directly even after notifying an SRO; DCF will consolidate multiple intakes into a single case if more than one person reports.

Officials described local constraints: the Manatee County DCF office has been understaffed, at times operating near 50% of needed capacity, which affects response timing. That staffing reality, they said, is why the sheriff’s office and district are emphasizing improved coordination, better internal documentation, and a lower threshold for calling DCF by phone instead of relying only on web reports.

The sheriff’s office asked administrators to alert Captain Morey’s team whenever they call the hotline so deputies and investigators can consider immediate investigative steps. Nelson said the district maintains a one‑page checklist principals use when any allegation arises; that form records who contacted law enforcement and DCF and is kept in a school binder for accountability.

Ending: District and sheriff’s office officials said the training and closer coordination aim to speed investigations, preserve evidence and protect students. They encouraged principals and teachers to contact law enforcement for investigative work and to call the DCF hotline themselves, so both protective and investigative tracks are triggered quickly.