Sheriff Morgan wants more money from us - $5.2 Million

http://www.northescambia.com/2014/07/escambia-budget-talks-begin-sheriff-wants-extra-5-million

Quote :

Sheriff David Morgan wants the extra money to put more deputies on the streets, increase salaries and benefits, and meet rising fuel costs.

I say "possibly" to adding more deputies, "yes" to a COLA, and "yes" to covering increased fuel costs, and "yes" to paying for non-scheduled overtime like hurricane/storm duty.

He has always asked for more money. I don't think he would be happy if we gave him everything he asked for. Perhaps a comprehensive financial audit should be done (if one hasn't already been done), since he seems to always be asking for additional funding.

If he can prove his per capita understaffing is a danger to the public or the deputies, I might even support adding deputies. Pointing the finger at other counties and saying we don't have as many deputies as "those guys" (per capita) isn't justification in my book. The grass is always greener on the other side. Yeah, more deputies can provide better service and so forth, but there has to be limitations to how much that we, the taxpayers, should be required to pay for.

I don't think it is wise to open the checkbook to pay for what will obviously be huge recurring expenses. Additional deputies need vehicles, constant training, lots of equipment, and infrastructure to house them.

There are good comments at the end of the article. One made particular sense to me. "Why not put two deputies in the SUV?" Many times, you will see two or three cars at a scene and each probably brought one deputy. It would make sense financially to put two to a vehicle... AND increase safety for the LEOs... a very important argument. A gunman would be much less likely to think about shooting an officer if another armed officer was present. Perhaps any ADDITIONAL deputies should be put into a cruiser car with one existing deputy.

Eric wrote:

http://www.northescambia.com/2014/07/escambia-budget-talks-begin-sheriff-wants-extra-5-million

Quote :

Sheriff David Morgan wants the extra money to put more deputies on the streets, increase salaries and benefits, and meet rising fuel costs.

I say "possibly" to adding more deputies, "yes" to a COLA, and "yes" to covering increased fuel costs, and "yes" to paying for non-scheduled overtime like hurricane/storm duty.

He has always asked for more money.  I don't think he would be happy if we gave him everything he asked for.  Perhaps a comprehensive financial audit should be done (if one hasn't already been done), since he seems to always be asking for additional funding.

If he can prove his per capita understaffing is a danger to the public or the deputies, I might even support adding deputies.  Pointing the finger at other counties and saying we don't have as many deputies as "those guys" (per capita) isn't justification in my book.  The grass is always greener on the other side.  Yeah, more deputies can provide better service and so forth, but there has to be limitations to how much that we, the taxpayers, should be required to pay for.

I don't think it is wise to open the checkbook to pay for what will obviously be huge recurring expenses.  Additional deputies need vehicles, constant training, lots of equipment, and infrastructure to house them.  

There are good comments at the end of the article.  One made particular sense to me.  "Why not put two deputies in the SUV?"  Many times, you will see two or three cars at a scene and each probably brought one deputy.  It would make sense financially to put two to a vehicle... AND increase safety for the LEOs... a very important argument.  A gunman would be much less likely to think about shooting an officer if another armed officer was present.  Perhaps any ADDITIONAL deputies should be put into a cruiser car with one existing deputy.

     A financial audit up to and including the upper echelon top heavy  structure that's in place that the sheriff promised would never happen under his administration.  That would and should include the civilian support staff which never has gone long being understaffed and/or underpaid.

      If you've seen two or three vehicles at a scene that's exactly what's intended for coverage purposes.  Example: If there is an incident that requires time and manpower then instead of one deputy being out of service there would then be two.  As it is the intentions of multiple units are to get those not needed at the scene free to go back to patrol duties.  If there were three or four arrests the tied up manpower would be a hinderance for patrol duties.

      No disagreement whatsoever with the officer safety aspect of having two in a vehicle.  There is no argument that could be made against that idea.  The only thing that may suffer under some of the situations that I've mentioned would be response times and you know if the times to answer a call is lengthened then the public would certainly not be happy.  With the possibility of longer response times would or could impact the public safety.  Really, in short there are no 100% solutions to some of these issues.

      In studies communities have been consistent with wanting their tax dollars to go for: Continued or improved--Police services, EMS, and fire services...if there are changes or cuts in any of the these the public will [rightfully so] not stand by.  That being said the same public demands that their money is spent in an economically sound manner to ensure these services.  

       Lastly, on the political side the sheriff ran initially as opposing the 'good ole'boy network' and top heavy supervisor levels from the previous administration.  First, the only changes to the good ole'boy network are the names. Second, want to put more officers/deputies on the street...start looking at some savings from a bloated chain of command.  Example: The pro-active street level team is a thing of the past in order for the deputies to return to patrol duties...how many at the upper supervisor level were changed?  So yes there should be an audit prior to opening the checkbook.

I read in the PNJ today that Morgan will get his 15 additional deputies.  

The Commission hasn't figured out how they are going to fund 'em yet... duh!

Let the judges make the penalties for crime high enough that it pays for the increase in the cost.. That way, the criminals are going to pay for it..

Eric wrote:

I read in the PNJ today that Morgan will get his 15 additional deputies.  

The Commission hasn't figured out how they are going to fund 'em yet... duh!

Would that work in real life....Hey I'm going to buy a new car...just don't know how I'm going to pay for it yet....