Sheriff’s Office donates truck to environmental non-profit

Sheriff Rick Ramsay presented Conch Republic Marine Army President Brian Vest and crew with a Dodge pickup truck Thursday.

The Conch Republic Marine Army nonprofit was formed by Vest and myriad others in Big Pine Key following Hurricane Irma. They tasked themselves with cleaning the waters and marine habitats of the Florida Keys. Keeping Monroe County clean and litter-free is important to Sheriff Rick Ramsay and the Sheriff’s Office as deputies and employees often hold clean-ups throughout the island chain. The Conch Republic Marine Army has joined the Sheriff’s Office on more than one occasion for such projects.

The Sheriff’s Office previously used the pickup truck for various tasks within the community. Now the truck will help in the continued removal of the some 74 refrigerators and hundreds of thousands of pounds of paint cans, gas cans and other waste materials the Conch Republic Marine Army has lifted from Florida Keys waters since Hurricane Irma.

“The Conch Republic Marine Army shares the Sheriff’s Office vision of clean and healthy neighborhoods as well as our waters,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay. “The Sheriff’s Office is always happy to support the community in such ways and I know they will put this truck to good use keeping paradise clean for all of us.”

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