Blog 3 - Story 2

Kaylee Hanowski
February 10, 2011
Story 2
Sheriff Department Equipment

Thursday afternoon a meeting between the County Sheriff and several county commissioners took place with concerns for equipment and personnel for the sheriff department. Sheriff Gus Dicesari feels as if the county commissioners aren’t distributing money towards the department fairly.

Dicesari states that eight new vehicles are needed; the vehicles have more than 150,000 miles on them, and they spend too much time being repaired. Along with the vehicles, the department is looking to hire five more deputies. “This is the first time in 27 years as sheriff that the county hasn’t allocated money to the Sheriff’s Department to buy equipment.” Dicesari said. Commission President Anne Chenn tells Dicesari that they do not have the money to fund the Sheriff Department the extra $580,000, and that they will have to make do this year.

Dicesari feels that too much money is going to the migrant programs. He said, “ We never had problems until we began letting migrants come to this country to work.” Chenn disagreed that the immigrants were the problem, but insisted health care and higher fuel costs, and the $30 million spent on to build a new prison last year, are the reasoning for the decrease in budget for the Sheriff Department this year.

Chenn suggested deputies drive their cruisers only when working, and leave them and the department. With the deputies driving their own cars to and from work it would allow more cruisers available and preserve mileage.

The meeting came to an end with a vote, five to two against the Sheriff’s request for the new equipment and personnel.