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Sheriff urges Treasure Island merger

Pinellas Sheriff Jim Coats says taking over Treasure Island's police will save the city money.

By KATHY SAUNDERS
Published October 30, 2005

TREASURE ISLAND - Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats drove into town Tuesday to round up support for his deputies to take over the city police department.

City leaders were welcoming but not yet willing.

Coats made an hourlong presentation to city commissioners with a proposal that the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office take over the city's police services.

"We have a lot of expertise and we have a lot of services to offer," Coats said.

He noted that the county has an accident reconstruction investigation team and laptop computers in patrol cars, some of which can scan the faces of suspects for background information.

Coats made the initial offer in July when police Chief Joseph Pelkington announced his retirement. Since that time, Sgt. Tim Casey has been serving as acting chief.

Coats said he can put the same officers on the streets of Treasure Island, pay them more, offer more opportunities for advancement, provide better equipment and save the city lots of money.

Coats said the Sheriff's Office can offer the same "warm and fuzzy, hometown service" the city has received from its own 21-member force. "No job is too big or too small for our office," he told commissioners. "I give you my personal assurance that, should your city agree to this proposal, you will not be disappointed."

With his 912 sworn law enforcement officers, Coats said he could save the city between $13-million and $15-million over the next 10 years. He said the transition probably would cost the city about $1.58-million, compared to the $2.3-million 2006 budget projected by the city department.

The merger, he said, "is good financial policy" for the city.

As part of his offer, Coats said he would hire all of the current employees in the Treasure Island Police Department, at their current or higher salaries. Once the officers are trained throughout the county, they also would be offered patrol positions in the city.

Commissioners did not make a decision Tuesday. They allowed some public comment, but scheduled a meeting for 6 p.m. Dec. 6 to formally discuss the proposed merger and a public hearing Dec. 20. City Manager Ralph Stone will sort through the proposal and compare the sheriff's figures to city records.

Personally, Stone said, he opposes the merger.

"I want a force that's going to be here and I have a lot of confidence in these guys," he said.

"We do have an agreement with the Sheriff's Office that they will do a lot of these things anyway," said Mayor Mary Maloof. "I just think that the citizens of Treasure Island don't feel there's a fit between the sheriff's office and our community.

"I have not talked to anyone that supports it," she said. All of the citizens who spoke Tuesday opposed the sheriff's offer.

Any decision to abolish the city police department has to be made by the voters and at least three of five commissioners. Last March, residents overwhelmingly passed a city charter amendment requiring an election before the police or fire departments could be disbanded. The next city election is in March.

"My family and I want our own police department, no matter how much that costs," said Dr. Paul Mevoli of Sunset Beach.

Mevoli said a local police officer once agreed to park outside his house to keep an eye on his sleeping 10-year-old son when he was called to a patient emergency at his office. "We do not believe the Sheriff's Office is the right thing for Treasure Island," he said.

"I realize this is a very sensitive issue," Coats said. "We will just let the process take its course."

[Last modified October 30, 2005, 01:13:18]