05-27-2007, 08:49 PM
Who will patrol Deltona?
City considers its own crime-fighting force
Denise-Marie Balona and Tanya Caldwell | Sentinel Staff Writers
Posted May 26, 2007
DELTONA -- Several elected leaders want this city to take up soon the on-again, off-again debate over whether metro Orlando's second-biggest city should have its own police department.
Mayor Dennis Mulder wants Deltona residents to decide this fall through a public referendum whether to forgo a contract with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office in favor of what he said may be more personalized service.
Commissioners Janet Deyette and Michael Carmolingo support the idea. The city pays the Sheriff's Office $7 million a year to fight crime and patrol streets in this growing bedroom community of about 85,000. Some officials are concerned that while reported crime is down slightly, fewer cases are being solved.
Some residents have complained about response times, vandalism and break-ins to homes, businesses and cars.
Mulder said it makes sense to investigate the issue in coming months as the city reviews plans for a public-safety complex.
"If there's a time to look at it, the time is now," he said. "There's a need for serious consideration."
Deyette and her husband manage two shopping centers and have had problems.
"My husband gets frustrated constantly trying to get responses about skateboarders and break-ins," she said. "Graffiti -- oh, my God, the graffiti is out of control."
Last year, the Sheriff's Office cleared 15 percent of criminal cases in Deltona, compared with 27 percent the year before. That's a 44 percent drop.
Statewide, the average crime-clearance rate in 2005 was about 15 percent, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which has not released data for the entire 2006 year.
Officials say Deltona's main crime problem involves property --burglaries and break-ins, for example.
"The largest majority of the increase in crimes is the area of property crimes, and those are the hardest to solve," said sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson.
"In 50 percent of the cases, there's no forced entry. The victims leave their homes and cars unlocked."
Davidson could not say why clearance rates have dropped in Deltona.
Just last year, Deltona renewed its contract with the Sheriff's Office for 69 sworn officers, a ratio of roughly 0.8 officers per 1,000 residents. The statewide ratio varies between 1.65 officers per 1,000 residents for Sheriff's Offices to 2.55 per 1,000 for police.
City Commissioner David Santiago said although the clearance rate needs work, he's glad to see crime fall while the population rises. The city has had fewer reports of violent crimes, domestic violence and burglary in recent years.
"I think we have an excellent value for the money we pay," Santiago said. "They have my full confidence."
The last time officials seriously discussed a police department was in 1998 -- shortly after the city's 1995 incorporation.
A committee of residents with law-enforcement backgrounds determined a city force would cost $12 million to $14 million to start, not including specialty units such as the SWAT team. At the time, the city paid $3.3 million to the Sheriff's Office.
In many cases, it's cheaper to contract with a sheriff's office because costs are spread over a larger organization and cities don't have to pay startup costs such as cruisers, technology and equipment.
Story continues... it was too long to post.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/loc ... 8900.story (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/volusia/orl-vclearance2607may26,0,5048900.story)
Anyone have any thoughts on a residential city attempting to create it's own Police Department? Also consider the lack of funds in this question. It seems like the Sheriff's Office would have more resources than a smaller Police Department... could it really be an upgrade if they go ahead with this?
City considers its own crime-fighting force
Denise-Marie Balona and Tanya Caldwell | Sentinel Staff Writers
Posted May 26, 2007
DELTONA -- Several elected leaders want this city to take up soon the on-again, off-again debate over whether metro Orlando's second-biggest city should have its own police department.
Mayor Dennis Mulder wants Deltona residents to decide this fall through a public referendum whether to forgo a contract with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office in favor of what he said may be more personalized service.
Commissioners Janet Deyette and Michael Carmolingo support the idea. The city pays the Sheriff's Office $7 million a year to fight crime and patrol streets in this growing bedroom community of about 85,000. Some officials are concerned that while reported crime is down slightly, fewer cases are being solved.
Some residents have complained about response times, vandalism and break-ins to homes, businesses and cars.
Mulder said it makes sense to investigate the issue in coming months as the city reviews plans for a public-safety complex.
"If there's a time to look at it, the time is now," he said. "There's a need for serious consideration."
Deyette and her husband manage two shopping centers and have had problems.
"My husband gets frustrated constantly trying to get responses about skateboarders and break-ins," she said. "Graffiti -- oh, my God, the graffiti is out of control."
Last year, the Sheriff's Office cleared 15 percent of criminal cases in Deltona, compared with 27 percent the year before. That's a 44 percent drop.
Statewide, the average crime-clearance rate in 2005 was about 15 percent, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which has not released data for the entire 2006 year.
Officials say Deltona's main crime problem involves property --burglaries and break-ins, for example.
"The largest majority of the increase in crimes is the area of property crimes, and those are the hardest to solve," said sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson.
"In 50 percent of the cases, there's no forced entry. The victims leave their homes and cars unlocked."
Davidson could not say why clearance rates have dropped in Deltona.
Just last year, Deltona renewed its contract with the Sheriff's Office for 69 sworn officers, a ratio of roughly 0.8 officers per 1,000 residents. The statewide ratio varies between 1.65 officers per 1,000 residents for Sheriff's Offices to 2.55 per 1,000 for police.
City Commissioner David Santiago said although the clearance rate needs work, he's glad to see crime fall while the population rises. The city has had fewer reports of violent crimes, domestic violence and burglary in recent years.
"I think we have an excellent value for the money we pay," Santiago said. "They have my full confidence."
The last time officials seriously discussed a police department was in 1998 -- shortly after the city's 1995 incorporation.
A committee of residents with law-enforcement backgrounds determined a city force would cost $12 million to $14 million to start, not including specialty units such as the SWAT team. At the time, the city paid $3.3 million to the Sheriff's Office.
In many cases, it's cheaper to contract with a sheriff's office because costs are spread over a larger organization and cities don't have to pay startup costs such as cruisers, technology and equipment.
Story continues... it was too long to post.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/loc ... 8900.story (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/volusia/orl-vclearance2607may26,0,5048900.story)
Anyone have any thoughts on a residential city attempting to create it's own Police Department? Also consider the lack of funds in this question. It seems like the Sheriff's Office would have more resources than a smaller Police Department... could it really be an upgrade if they go ahead with this?