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Sarasota News Leader July 12, 2013 fund holds $2.9 million, that is also the city's emergency money. "Cleanup after a hurricane could clean it out in a heartbeat," said Lege after the meeting. THE POLICE DEBATE Page 35 Sarasota scored on the high end of most of those criteria. Of the 15 cities, it has the second highest number of sworn officers per 1,000 citizens, at 3.3. Naples has 3.6. The average of the 15 cities was 2.3. Sarasota ties with Naples for the highest numAs is true of all municipal and county budget ber of sworn police officers and civilians per workshops, every City of Sarasota department 1,000 citizens — 4.2. head was in the audience July 8 to answer any The shocker is an analysis of crime rates in question should one arise. The Sarasota Po- the 15 cities per 1,000 residents. The average lice were represented by the chief, the deputy was 46 crimes. Sarasota was the second highest on the table with 53 crimes per 1,000 peochief and a third officer in uniform. ple. Only Pensacola was higher, at 67. Lege presented another table showing 15 FlorThe budget proposes a reduction in the numida municipalities with populations similar ber of sworn Sarasota officers, dropping the in size to Sarasota. The table examined city force to 158 from the current level of 175. density (citizens per square mile), total police The reductions would cut the ratio of sworn staff divided by the number of citizens, the officers per 1,000 residents to 3.0. The force number of officers per square mile and the reductions would come from position elimination and attrition. % crime rate per 1,000 citizens. The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall used to require a city subsidy. Now it operates in the black. Photo by Norman Schimmel