[Music] [Music] [Music] hello my name is Fred rider I'm a fleet technician to at the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office as a technician in vehicle maintenance hi perform skilled mechanical and technical work related to development maintenance and repair of light and medium duty vehicles and equipment like the standards Chevy Tahoes that we convert into well equipped law enforcement vehicles you see daily patrolling the county in addition to handling routine projects I enjoy working on special assignments like having refurbished to peacekeepers and helping create the shooting vehicle used during deputies training we don't just work on vehicles during my 43 year career at the sheriff's office I have assisted on a hurricane deployment a vice presidential debate and three presidential motorcades one time I was even called in to pick up an alligator and load it into a pickup truck but a lot has changed since I was hired and in the automotive field in 1973 i joined the sheriff's office through a high school placement program through the years i have assisted other agencies including the Florida Department of Law Enforcement the US Customs and the Secret Service when my wife DeeDee and i got married in 1990 I also became stepfather but one of the greatest joys of life was becoming a father and a grandfather all in one week when my step daughter asked me to adopt her as an adult and then gave birth to her first child a few days later my free time i enjoy photography and riding my ATV with my friends I will be retiring and artists and I can confidently say that although it takes a passion for what I do is stay in one career for so long it has been the many great people I've met and the friendships I've made at pinellas county sheriff's office that have kept me here for 43 years it is my pleasure to serve you thank you for taking the time to connect with us here on meet the Stars