ST. PETE BEACH – Pinellas County sheriff’s deputies began patrolling St. Pete Beach Jan. 6.
Pinellas County’s southernmost beach city is now the 13th city to contract for law enforcement services with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
In November, St. Pete Beach voters gave City Commissioners the go ahead for the contractual arrangement and transition from the city Police Department to the Sheriff’s Office for primary law enforcement services.
Deputies departed from the city’s Police Department Building Jan. 6 to begin their first shift in the new contract city.
Twenty-eight police department employees will transition to the Sheriff’s Office. Twenty-one officers will be deputy sheriffs and seven civilian employees will have assignments with their new agency.
The 21 former city officers will undergo a six-week training session to learn Sheriff’s Office policies and procedures before taking their assignments in patrol operations or court security.
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