Budget Cuts Affect Police and Public Safety

The Sheriff’s department is facing problems due to a budget cut imposed by the county commissioners. Sheriff Gus DiCersari has concerned because the sheriff’s department is being forced to drive old police cruisers. “My deputies can’t keep driving these old vehicles. Something bad is going to happen," he said on the subject. In a meeting on Thursday afternoon, the Sheriff and county commissioners met to discuss these issues. Commission member, Anne Chenn, said the county’s yearly budget was reduced this year because of rising costs of health care, fuel and the $30 million the county spent to build a new prison. The Sheriff also felt the need for five new deputies as well, saying: “You’re putting the lives of the people of this county in jeopardy.”

One of the main arguments that arose during the meeting was the concern brought by the rise of migrant workers in the county. Commissioners Anita Shenuski and Raymond Laybourne argued that the migrant workers create a problem in the county for law enforcement, schools and the health care system. They told Chenn that the county should be funding the Sheriff’s department as opposed to programs for migrant workers who’ve come into the county. “They take away jobs from decent people and work for next to nothing and if something gets stolen, you can bet it is one of them that’s taken it. We need to protect local residents from them,” said Shenuski. Both Shenuski and Laybourne are in agreement that the Sheriff’s department is in need of increased funding to hire new deputies for this very reason. Chenn denied the claims brought forward by Shenuski and Laybourne, claiming that the migrants are hardworking individuals that add a great deal to the community, pay taxes and that many are seeking citizenship as well. Chenn told Sheriff DiCesari that the county did not have the $580,000 to fund the new police cruisers and additional deputies.

In the end, the vote was 5-2 against the sheriff’s request, with Chenn telling DiCesari that the Sheriff’s department would have to make do this year without the funds.