PD or SO?

I'm an experienced narcotics detective and swat supervisor from a large agency in another state. I am considering moving to Sarasota, my wife is an attorney and she has been offered a substantial opportunity in Sarasota.
My question is which agency is better in terms of an officer being able to go out and do their job. I could care less about pay. Which has take homes and what are the narc units like?
Thanks.

SPD or SSO? I would say Northport would be a much better place to start at. I can only speak for SPD but the SSO has a lot of problems. Just look at their site. Both have take home cars. SPD is in all kinds of turmoil right now that started with an officer using his foot to restrain a prisoner, and worked up to the chief paying the prisoner 400 dollars as a payoff. Both have been on paid suspension for months. Because of this, the citizens have turned against us, and feel that the whole agency is corrupt. Our corrupt city manager has formed a citizens review panel made up of mostly minorities to watch over us.

The city manager is getting rid of all our perks, from days off for fitness, to days off for not taking sick time. He has a personal hatred towards the police because he punched out his wife while she was in a coma, while he was the city manager in Jupiter.

At SSO, there is more movement, so narcotics would come available in a couple of years instead of 7 to 10 years average at SPD. I dont think either is hiring at the time. We havent hired in years, and are reducing the numbers once again. This agency sucks right now to be blunt.
SO, your best bet for sure is Northport. Good pay, benefits, still growing, and a struggling housing market, meaning you could get a great house for hlf the price it would have been 4 years ago. Plus, a little land if your into the country lifestyle.

i would go to the sheriff dept.they are frs and you can move around from one sheriff dept/office or to a state agecny adn not lose your time. the sheriff office in sarasota has a much much bigger budget more toys and better equiptment year in and year out. the sheriff office has countywide jurisdiction and you can work anywhere in the county. our area is real small if 10 miles (seriously). if you want to work in a special unit the sheriff have lots more then us and it will not take you as long to get in. well i think i summed it up.

Check out Manatee SO

if you are going to check out mcso i would stick with sarasota county, it is nicer and most mcso deps would prefer working for scso if they could do it all over.

bottom line go for the bigger agencies they present so much more then smaller city depts...boring :wink:

I work for the Sheriff's Office, I will tell you please dont read into this website. Most of it are disgruntled jailers and not road deputies. The agency is a great agency I came from another Sheriff's Office in Florida and trully love it. Great place for family. I have several friends on Manatee SO and would not recomend you do that. I came on three Sheriffs ago and it is trully a great place. If you ever want holidays off Stick with bigger agencies. I think SPD officers will. Thats not a for seen option if under 10 years. Our agency you can get to dayshift in about 3 years or wherever but I think you see my point. Good luck in your choice. Not knocking SPD of the Police in our county they by far blow away Long Boat Key,Venice,NorthPort,USF-New College PD and Airport PD

You really "came on three sheriffs." You must be a major. J/K

I'm an experienced narcotics detective and swat supervisor from a large agency in another state. I am considering moving to Sarasota, my wife is an attorney and she has been offered a substantial opportunity in Sarasota.
My question is which agency is better in terms of an officer being able to go out and do their job. I could care less about pay. Which has take homes and what are the narc units like?
Thanks.


DEFINITELY A NO BRAINER!!! Go to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office. They have a new Sheriff their now who is cleaning house. The old Sheriff was corrupt and screwed the place so bad they got a bad name for years. The Sheriff's Office (Sarasota) has been turning itself around with new leadership. A few more bad apples need to be removed over there but overall, it is the place to go. Hope this helps!