Fla. City Votes to Shut Down 11-Officer Police Department
Source Officer.com News
A Florida city has decided it will shut down its police department and turn over law enforcement duties to the county sheriff's department.
Starke city commissioners voted to 4-1 on Tuesday to eliminate its police department and turn to the Bradford County Sheriff's Office for police coverage, WCJB-TV reports. The department will shut down on March 1, when the sheriff's office takes over.
Like with other communities around the country that have disbanded police departments, Starke lawmakers shuttered the agency as a cost-saving move. The police department had been budgeted at roughly $1.1 million; contracting the sheriff's office will only run the city around $625,000.
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The 11 police officers and a civilian employee will be displaced by the move. They've been invited to apply for openings at the sheriff's office.
The disbanding, however, puts Starke Police Chief Jeff Johnson in an uncertain position. Johnson is an elected official, and his position can only be eliminated by a referendum.
