Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/140592
Sarasota News Leader June 28, 2013 Page 18 municipal police departments statewide: The average is 2.3 officers per 1,000 residents. As The Sarasota News Leader reported last week, the number for the City of Sarasota Police Department in 2011 — the last year for which data was available — is 3.3 officers per 1,000 population. Maj. Kurt Hoffman told the County Commission, "What the sheriff has tasked each of us with at the senior staff level is reviewing every single position that comes up for a vacancy." Discussions ensue over whether a position can be turned over to a civilian, for example, he said, or consolidated with the work of another employee or made part-time. Knight also pointed out that it costs a minimum of $123,650 from the time a person applies to be a deputy until that person is trained Sheriff Tom Knight is shown on the video stream in the County Commission Think Tank as he presents his 2014 fiscal year budget on June 21. Photo by Rachel Hackney (From left) Sheriff Tom Knight, Col. Steve Burns and Maj. Kurt Hoffman appear before the County Commission on June 21. Photo by Rachel Hackney