During her five years with the Tampa Police Department, Laura McElroy has strengthened community relations by developing a proactive approach to the Public Information office. Her team works daily pitching local and national stories on police operations, programs, and arrests to ensure citizens are up to date on the department’s efforts to reduce crime and improve the quality of life in Tampa. This year she led a multi-agency Joint Information Center for Super Bowl XLIII. Laura launched a six-month marketing plan on super bowl security. That resulted in extensive local and national coverage on the local, state and federal agencies involved in the security plan. As the Public Information Officer, Laura created a publication to nationally market the department’s crime reduction success. Those efforts have resulted in numerous agencies adopting Tampa’s approach to policing. She created a quarterly police magazine to distribute throughout the community and produces an award winning police show hosted by Chief Steve Hogue and broadcast on City of Tampa Television. Laura reinvented the Citizens Police Academy by creating a hands on curriculum that allows residents to experience some of the challenges police face daily. Laura helped select the Hispanic Liaison Officer to work with the Spanish media and Latin community. She also expanded the duties to include more community outreach. During her tenure, Laura established a monthly department-wide award ceremony to honor officers, employees and citizens.

Laura is a University of Florida graduate who spent 16 years as a television reporter and anchor in Gainesville, Sarasota, West Palm Beach and Tampa. She is married and has a daughter named Morgan.