Whiddens Campaign Claims

Here is a link from an edition of Caloosa Belle, from last year. It contains interesting facts as presented by Nelson at HCSO.

1) Whidden claims he put more deputies on the street, yet the ratio is only .08 officers per thousand???????

2) Whidden said the public isnt paying for the Grant officers. Yet Nelson states that the public is picking them up next year 2012 (this year)

3) Randy Bengston recommended the radio technology remain on VHF narrowband which the equipment was capable of and just do a program change per radio. Instead Whidden goes after a million dollar system that has now separated his agency with the rest of the public safety agencies in the County. Ask anyone how they now communicate with the SO. It is by phone. Going backwards are we?

4) Whidden takes credit for the jail expansion yet Nelson states they inherited it from Ronnie Lee.

5) The chairman of the BOCC and Comm Tris Chapman states he hadnt seen any cutbacks from the constitutionals despite the budget shortfalls. Whidden claimed HE reduced the budget, AND didnt increase it. Wrong BOCC said you would.

http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00027799/00274

We'll give SW / WS the fact that Federal Mandates prompted a change to the 800MhZ radio system. (If one wants to avail themselves to FEMA money in the event of a distaster). However, had he not gone "on the cheap" and tied himself to a crappy State-Wide Contracted system, he just might have been able to have total county coverage (presently he does not.) as well as the ability to talk to other agencies such as CPD, Lee County, Palm Beach, etc. had he made a "command decision" to go with Motorola who's towers surround Hendry County.

BUT, that would've cost a few dollars and for self-preservation purposes, Peaches isn't about to spend a dime on anything as trivial as officer and community safety! It's all about HIM staying in office and blabbing about no budget increases as if he invented the concept.

HCSO deputies, you need to start counting the number of "bonks" on your wonderful radio system, We hope you all carry cell phones for your safety's sake!

Whidden remaining in office trumps your safety, well-being, pay scale, benefits and, of course, your professional reputations. Hang in there good people, perhaps help is on the way?!

This has pissed me off enough. I work on the road with these wonderful POS. You can't use them in half the areas of the county, certainly not on portable. You can be sitting side by side and can't talk to each other because you have to use a tower that is like in another county. Constantly get the "bonks". To the point I have almost thrown the damn thing into a ditch filled with water. We at least had communications with the old system. I realize we have to go with progress but where does it say by using the bottom of the barrel one? Lee County, Collier, and Charlotte all use theirs and say they are great. But it is a totally different system. This crap is going to get one of us killed! And the admins response to it is well it's not what we really would like to have but what we can afford? Really? You got money when you want to buy all this crap you want, buggies etc, but not for us for life safety?

Brothers and Sisters, they do not give a shit about us on the street. Think about all this when you vote or recommend someone. I draw the line on whether I come home safe or not. Plus my wife has instructions that if ever I get hurt god forbid, she is to sue Whidden and Co and the BOCC for everything they got. I know you all feel the same in this area. Enough is enough. SHERIFF FAIL