County taking over

Should CPD be taken over???????

No. CPD has a better rate of solved crimes - not just a guess, but proved by UCR submissions and FDLE stats, is staffed mainly by people that live in Clewiston, and is dedicated to the citizens of the city. Loss of the PD could leave the city unprotected if/when HCSO is pulled into major crimes in Montura, Harlem or the Hookers Point area.

I just took a huge sh!t and named it Whidden!

[lawdawg]

It's not a bad thing. But, things need to be taken into consideration before. Definitely could save the city a crap load of money.

Maybe save money until Steve jacks up the price. It will slow response times dramatically, and calls that the PD handles now - such as noise complaints and other quality of life calls - simply won't be answered or will be stacked until they're overtaken by events.

It looks good on paper but is a terrible idea. Some cities that disbanded their Police Departments for financial reasons are now exploring the idea of re-establishing them. The price for contracting out Law Enforcement to a Sheriff's Office can gradually increase to the point where it was cheaper to have a municipal Police Department.

Someone mentioned accreditation in another post. Accreditation is pointless and a waste of time/money. Accreditation adds more bureaucracy to an agency and restricts LEO's from effectively doing their jobs. Accreditation also costs a lot of money which could be spent for better use. An agency can have nearly identical policies as an accredited agency without all the bureaucratic red tape and wasted money.

When a municipal Police Department disbands, they also lose part of their city identity. City Police Officers know the town inside and out. In a lot of cities, citizens and city politicians are proud to have a good, effective Police Department. They know the crime patterns, they know what looks out of place, ect. Deputies would eventually learn this to though but many would transfer do other zones/units, ect. I know if I was a Deputy, I would not want to be assigned to the City Limits. There has been a trend in some Sheriff's Offices to send Deputies to City Limits as a punishment.

Sheriff is an elected position in the State of Florida. What is the #1 goal of a Sheriff? TO GET REELECTED! Enough said. In many small Florida conties such as Hendry, the Sheriff election is a popularity contest. Sheriff Whidden was the populist, the local good ole boy in last years election. Capt. Mark Chamberlain (Retired PBCSO) was by far the best candidate, he had the best ideas, and the most experience. Unfortunately I think many citizens viewed him as an outsider.

I do not work for HCSO or CPD. I am sure both agencies have their problems but no more than any other agencies. I also question the validity of some posts on this website. If you look at every agencies site on here, everyone is *****ing about something.

Thats my 2 cents......(Note: This post may contain spelling/grammar errors. Typing from an iPad is tough. LOL.)

If they take over, the new road Lt. will be stabbing his way to the top. Thats unless Gutless sees him for what he is. Go check with the good people of AP on this piece of Normandy puh.

I got passed up by this dirty stabbing snake.

[http://highlandstoday.com/hi/local-news/ap-pension-controversy-churns-on-20130905/

AP pension controversy churns
on Marc Valero | Highlands Today
Published: September 5, 2013

AVON PARK - City Manager Julian Deleon voiced his concerns about the police pension plan at Wednesday's special city council meeting and called for the removal Greg Warner as chairman of the police pension board. Deleon said that a closure or termination of a pension plan would be detrimental to the city. A plan "closure" would not allow new employees into the pension plan and has financial consequences for the city, he said. A "termination" of the police pension plan would cause "massive financial liability" for the city, possibly in the millions of dollars. Deleon noted that he reviewed thousands of emails from his public records request of the police pension board. "I found clear communications between Lakeland attorney Bob Grizzard, previous police chief Mike Rowan and [pension board] Chairman Greg Warner being copied on the majority of the communications that were linked to plan closure or termination," he said. "Clearly the plan administrator [Carol Knapp] is involved in it." He did not find that any of the other pension board members where involved in it, Deleon said. Deleon said that in his opinion, Warner, who was appointed to the pension board by the council, is "plugged in" to all the activities about plan closure and termination. "My recommendation is that you remove Greg Warner as the council-appointed trustee," Deleon said. "He was given a week and a half to come here before this council and he did not." Knapp and the plan attorney, Scott Christiansen, had conflicts with the council meeting time and were unable to attend. Mayor Sharon Schuler said she doesn't want a plan termination, which could cost the city an estimated $16 million to 20 million. "That would bankrupt our city," she said. "If that's the goal, to bankrupt the city of Avon Park so that we have no city, then this is the way to do it." Schuler and Councilman Parke Sutherland said they would like to hear from the pension board before making any decisions. Sutherland said, "I would appreciate an opportunity to hear from them to understand what their thought processes were given some of the content of the emails, but we can't compel their attendance." City Attorney Gerald Buhr said council can remove Warner from the pension board at any time. Council directed Buhr to contact Christiansen to set up a time for him or a pension representative to meet with the council within the next two weeks either at a regularly scheduled city council meeting or a special meeting. mvalero@highlandstoday.com 863-386-5826

Speaking of CPD's road Lt., most people in AP are on his side. The local paper up there are known for slant reporting. M.R. is a good guy and a hell of a cop.

Yes, a good guy as long as you're not between him and what he wants, as long as you don't speak your mind and have your own opinions, and as long as you accept whatever he pulls out of his ass and states as fact when it's not.

Me thinks that Gutless did not do proper background check on Lt. It was not worth even applying for the job. They are butt buddies. I have a contact that says it will hit the fan in Highlands.

The Lt a good skinny wasted man. Gutless always picks those with defects. That ensures you do what I say when I say. Defects and rejects do have benefits.

Sounds like a page from management at HCSO has been plagiarized. yet again. Since everyone knows the little fat man grew into his predecessor too. :devil:

at least you know that I have gotten plenty of booty, and a fist full of dollars. you have got nothing but negligence in retention.

Go team sheriff, please hire us away from this crap hole. Keep the good ones, and can the bad ones.

This is how I see it. Both sides have pro’s and Con’s but there is just not enough pro’s for the Sheriff to overcome the Con’s. As for the City employees that wish to go to the Sheriff’s Office go if they will hire you, they have openings, and good luck. If you are as loyal in serving them and their citizens as you are serving the citizens of Clewiston, Clewiston will be better without you.
Clewiston Police Department is moving to the future and making positive changes they have two administrators with very different points of views and when they come to a compromise it is usually the best scenario. Clewiston Police Department is a small agency that is not going to have all kids of special divisions and areas to work in. They are not going to be the highest paid. The City of Clewiston needs the officers that work for them to be special. These officers need to be able to handle all types of criminal situations and help solve the problem of crime in their community not just report it or look for reasons to put citizens in Jail. There is always going to be crime let’s find ways to decrees the amount of it and work with the citizens to take away the contributing factors.

The Chief is not elected therefor he owes no one. The Chief can treat all of the people he serves the same way. If he becomes a tyrant or bully and allows his officers to become storm troopers bullying the community in the City of Clewiston, the City commission can remove him and correct the issue. If the Sheriff’s does the same you cannot touch him till the end of his term, and then you have to fight his high powered supporters and the people who he favors and hope to get enough votes to remove him from office. Sheriff Deputies are untouchable unless the Sherriff choices to discipline them or they commit a crime and an outside agency investigates. The citizens of Clewiston have control of your agency your Chief and Officers answer to you and the commissioners you voted in.

For those citizens of the City of Clewiston that do not like the services they get from the Clewiston Police Department, talk to Gutshall, help your agency improve. If you still do not like what you get you are allowed to call the Sheriff’s Office they can respond and deal with your needs, you pay taxes to them to.
Please learn the facts and know that we have to be willing to be part of the solution not just complain about the problem.

at least you know that I have gotten plenty of booty, and a fist full of dollars. you have got nothing but negligence in retention.

:snicker: sure fatty. More like a fistful of fritos and a booty full of super D. :lol:

Just checking, nothing new, but made you look. :devil: :devil: