Community policing offered as budget remedy
By HARLAN WEIKLE
Article published on Wednesday, June 11, 2008  |
INDIAN ROCKS BEACH – A community policing officer could very well be part of the solution to this season’s continuing budget woes.
At least that was the message delivered June 10 to the City Commission by two representatives of the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office – Capt. Wayne Morris and administrative representative Julie Upman.
Citing crime statistics for the period of January to October 2007, their report showed that Indian Rocks Beach shared similar numbers with Madeira Beach and South Pasadena; each having between 9,000 and 10,000 incidents ranging from simple warnings to arrests.
As budgets shrink, municipal governments face increasing pressures to lower taxes while at the same time maintaining essential services such as sanitary sewer, solid waste removal and public safety. Safety may be subject to interpretation, while sewer and garbage are not. So, while Indian Rocks Beach contemplates raising the rates for both sewer and solid waste they look to the Sheriff’s Office to keep the peace, while lowering the cost.
This coming budget year, the city must find a record $971,000 for that peace of mind, an increase of just under 6.7 percent or about $54,000 and they’re looking for solutions. One possible solution provided by the PCSO is community policing officers.
Using a complex formula of community policing officers and service call deputies, split shifts including the Delta shift from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., Morris and Upman explained the process Morris described as a “two deputy” presence in the city 24-7.
Morris, at the request of Commissioner Bert Valery, explained the difference between the two types of officers.
“Both had identical training and qualifications,” he said, adding, “a community policing officer, however, is in the community as a liaison. They’re there to interact with the community, patrol events and become a familiar figure. Generally, they’re not on the street to respond to calls for service.”
Depending on the shift, Morris said, the city would have at least two deputies at all times; three on the split Delta shift between the peak activity time between 9 p.m. and midnight.
“That’s seven days?” asked Valery.
“Yes,” Morris responded.
“I’m still not sure we need two officers seven days, all day,” Valery said. “I’d like to know what they do all day, I mean I see them sitting in their cars, maybe they’re writing reports. I don’t know.”
Valery continued to question Morris asking what a typical day was like for an officer. Then, holding up the report, he continued.
“I’d like you to come back here with some details about that and some real alternatives like this ‘Delta’ thing, not scare tactics like he did last week with the county,” Valery said.
Valery was referring to Sheriff Jim Coats’ presentation to county officials late last month in which he had predicted carnage in the streets, if the law enforcement budget was cut.
“I don’t believe it’s possible to describe a typical day for a deputy,” Morris said. "Every day is different. For instance, one day an officer might spend eight hours working a vehicular homicide, it’s always different.”
“I have to tell you I’d be hard pressed as a commissioner to decide if we need two deputies around the clock if I don’t get a better answer than that,” replied Valery.
Morris suggested that perhaps he could provide copies of some random reports, which deputies are required to submit detailing their shift activity.
Upman then suggested that the Sheriff’s Office was merely “playing catch up.”
Mayor R.B. Johnson asked, “You mean we didn’t pay enough in the past?”
“Yes, sir,” Upman said.
Later, during public comments, former Commissioner Ed Pinero said, “It is clear costs are going up but, I recall a while back when a deputy, alone in Belleair, was shot and killed. We’re putting these folks’ lives at risk by trying to save a few dollars using just one deputy.”
The Sheriff’s representatives will return July 8. The commission faces a July 30 deadline for submitting this year’s budget.
Action 2000 gifts city $6,000
A2K’s Jim Labadie presented the city with $6,000 from that group intended to purchase 16 new waste receptacles and 14 additional cigarette butt containers adding to those already in service along Gulf Boulevard’s beach access points.
The money was raised by the group through fundraising events throughout the year and donated as an outright gift, which will be used to purchase the containers and install them.
Labadie said he spoke previously to Interim City Manager Danny Taylor, who indicated the city was ready to proceed with the purchase and installation immediately.
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Article published on Wednesday, June 11, 2008
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