Northpinellas: Cuts endanger funding of civilian officers program

The Parmenters tried to stay calm when their Lincoln Town Car stalled in rush-hour traffic on U.S. 19 in Palm Harbor on the way to their great-granddaughter's appointment at the orthodontist.

George Parmenter, 76, parked the car alongside the busy highway and walked to a nearby restaurant to call a tow truck. An hour passed with no sign of the truck.

Then help arrived.

Toni Gugliotta, a Florida Highway Patrol community service officer, pulled up behind the Holiday couple's car with her cruiser's amber lights flashing. Gugliotta called a tow truck and stayed with the Parmenters until the truck arrived a few minutes later.

"We could have sat there for two hours before anyone came," said Veda Parmenter, 74, recalling that morning in August. "You know the cars on U.S. 19. They just zip by. Then there she was, Johnny-on-the-spot. She was a lifesaver."

Community service officers have been helping motorists as part of a pilot program in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. But the state Senate's proposed budget for fiscal year 2001-02 recommends cutting the program, which is in its third year.

The state House recommends keeping the program fully financed, said state Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor.

"I think it is crucial that we fully fund (the program) in the budget," said Bilirakis, who plans to lobby senators on behalf of the program.

The program was designed to help relieve some of the routine traffic chores of Florida Highway Patrol troopers so "they can do more proactive law enforcement," said Capt. David Tripp, Florida Highway Patrol spokesman. The program was started with a $1.4-million grant to pay for 28 community service officers, 14 in Pinellas and 14 in Hillsborough.

Community service officers, or CSOs, do not carry guns and are not sworn law enforcement officers. They are civilians who can issue citations and help stranded motorists and who are trained to handle minor accidents and traffic control.

"When they show up, people are really put at ease because they know they will be taken care of," said Capt. David McCarter, the highway patrol's district commander for Pinellas County. "Everybody is glad to see them. They are there to help."

Community service officers do more than lighten the workload of troopers, according to local firefighters. The program also helps fire crews leave minor accidents sooner, possibly freeing them to respond to other emergency calls.

Before they can return to the station, firefighters have to wait for a law enforcement agent to arrive at the scene of an accident to make sure the drivers and vehicles are secure, said Palm Harbor fire Lt. Dan Zinge.

"We can't just leave people on the side of the road unprotected," he said.

If another emergency call arrives while the crew is waiting to turn an accident scene over to a law enforcement agency, another station that may be further away has to respond to the new call.

"Before we had CSOs, we'd wait 20 to 40 minutes for FHP to come," Zinge said. "Now, (community service officers) are there within 10 to 15 minutes. It is a huge difference.

"They are invaluable to freeing us up, and that's something you can't put a price tag on."

In 1999 and 2000, community service officers in Pinellas wrote reports on more than 4,000 accidents and took about 6,000 calls for assistance, said community service officer John Manna.

Minor accidents can be viewed as routine for law enforcement officers, Manna said, but for drivers, even fender-benders can be traumatic. Manna spends much of his time calming drivers after an accident and explaining what they need to do and what paperwork they should fill out.

"I can see the appreciation on their faces," said Manna, a retired New York City employee. "Every way you look at this program, it benefits the state. It benefits everybody."

Community service officers in Pinellas have collected more than 250 signatures for a petition to keep the program, Gugliotta said. Some also have been calling and e-mailing local and state elected officials to lobby for their jobs.

Community service officers were told early this year that there would be a freeze on filling vacant positions at the program, Gugliotta said. Then in March, they found out that their jobs may be eliminated as early as June if the program is not funded.

"We won't go down without a fight, I'll tell you that much," Gugliotta said. "It's like a roller-coaster ride. We've heard so many stories, we don't know what to believe."

Manna said state officials may not realize the importance of the program before its too late.

"I want them to know exactly what they are doing," Manna said. "If they cut it, so be it. But don't cut it blind without knowing what you are cutting."

Community service officers have helped the Florida Highway Patrol respond to more calls, said McCarter, who helped get the program started three years ago. Before the program, when the troopers who were nearby were too busy to handle a minor accident, the call was sent to another law enforcement agency or a trooper from another area.

"Everybody would be affected if we lose" the community service officers, McCarter said. "And our response time would probably go up. They are definitely an invaluable service."

The starting salary for a community service officer is $21,000 a year. For a rookie trooper, the starting salary in the Tampa Bay area is $30,000, Tripp said.

Community service officers cannot make traffic stops for offenses such as speeding or running a stop sign. They can investigate an accident if it does not involve driving under the influence or other criminal charges, said Capt. Mike Guzman, Florida Highway Patrol district commander for Hillsborough County.

Often, community service officers can be goodwill ambassadors of sorts, calling a tow truck or comforting a child who has just been through an automobile accident. They usually have stuffed animals, crayons, coloring books and the ever-popular Highway Patrol Junior Trooper badge in the back of their cars.

"They get a kick out of that," said Gugliotta, who worked at the Pinellas County Jail before coming a community service officer.

Some days, Gugliotta said, she can be called to four accidents. Then there are other days when she can patrol the North Pinellas area for two hours and the most exciting event is picking up a large branch of oranges laying in the middle of the road.

One of the perks of the job, Gugliotta said, is being able to help people like the Parmenters. The couple was grateful that, thanks to Gugliotta, they were able to get their great-granddaughter to her appointment to have her braces adjusted.

"You know how dentists are," said Mrs. Parmenter, a retired postmaster from New Hampshire. "If you don't get in on time, you have to wait. We were all uptight. But she kept us calm, and we got there on time.

"If they let those people go, they will have a lot of cars on the side of the road that can't get anywhere because there is nobody to help them."

- Staff writer Ed Quioco can be reached at (727) 445-4183 or quioco@sptimes.com.

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