HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla — The Hernando County Sheriff's Office is mourning the loss of a friend and colleague who died from the COVID-19 virus this weekend.
Detective Tommy Breedlove died Saturday night after being hospitalized from recently contracting the virus, the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post. He was 54 years old.
Breedlove worked in Major Case Investigations and has been the leader of the agency's Sexual Offender/Sexual Predator Monitoring program (SPOT) since it started in 2006. During his 15 years with the program, the sheriff's office said Breedlove "worked tirelessly" tracking and monitoring every sexual offender and predator who moved into and out of Hernando County.
The detective began his law enforcement career at the Monroe County Sheriff's Office in the Florida Keys back in 1988. 10 years later, Breedlove started at the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office in the Patrol Division.
In August 2002, he was promoted to detective in Major Case Investigations, and in 2006 he implemented the HCSO’s SPOT Program.
During his career, he received 18 employee awards, commendations and letters of appreciation throughout his 23-year career at the Hernando County Sheriff's Office and 33 commendations while employed by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
He leaves behind his wife, Breena Breedlove, and their seven children that range in ages from 12 to 22. The family is active at the Eden Baptist Church in Lake Lindsey where Tommy Breedlove was the head of security and a Sunday school teacher for adults.
In addition, Breedlove was also a long-time and well-respected instructor at a local law enforcement academy, the sheriff's office says.
At this time, the Hernando County Sheriff's Office is planning a Line of Duty Death funeral service with full law enforcement honors for the detective.