PUNTA GORDA — Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell announced Friday that Public Information Officer Bob “Carp” Carpenter, 69, will retire at the end of March, thus ending over 10 years as PIO for the agency. “I’m proud to announce that Debbie Bowe is once again joining our Sheriff’s Office family” as Carpenter’s replacement, said Sheriff Bill Prummell. “Her experience with the news media as well as IT will help us take our public relations in social media to the next level. I also want to thank Bob for all his years of service to the Sheriff’s Office and community. I wish him all the best in retirement.” Bowe moved from Virginia to Arcadia with her parents at age 16 and went to DeSoto High School. She then went to Florida Southern College, majoring in communications, aka journalism. In her junior and senior years, she worked at the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office in a summer work program. She graduated from FSC, and her first job was at the Punta Gorda Daily Herald News as a court and police reporter. In 1978, Sheriff Alan LeBeau hired Bowe as a CCSO dispatcher. She also filled in at times for the PIO.

The next year, Bowe went to the Police Academy, became a certified law enforcement officer, and in 1981 transferred to road patrol and eventually became the first law enforcement female corporal, first female detective, and first female sergeant. During her years as an officer she worked road patrol, CID, major crimes, and at times was in charge of evidence, crime scene, economic crimes, computer crimes, and crime analysis. Bowe became a certified forensic computer examiner and in 2007 with 25 years as a law enforcement officer. She transferred to a civilian position in MIS. In 2008, she was assistant IT director until she retired from CCSO in 2012. Bowe served as a volunteer and filled in for Carpenter when he was away. Bowe will officially start work on April 1. Carpenter had announced his plans to retire several months ago.