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DUI Team May Be Cut To Rein In Budget, Pinellas Sheriff Says

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By ROD CHALLENGER

News Channel 8

Published: June 23, 2008

CLEARWATER - To cut $25 million from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office budget, the agency may have to eliminate its DUI squad, Sheriff Jim Coats said today.

The squad made more than half the DUI arrests in 2007, Coats said.

"There is a great risk that many drunk drivers will go undetected," Pinellas Chief Deputy Bob Gualtieri said. "Which, as we know, result in catastrophic events and fatalities."

The county commission in May ordered Coats to cut $25 million from his 2008-09 fiscal year budget. The proposal would eliminate 161 jobs, 59 of which are in law enforcement, 34 in corrections and 68 that include civilian support staff.

Coats was asked by county commissioners to make concessions in his budget because of falling revenue expected from a revamped property tax structure voters approved in March.

Coats said eliminating traffic enforcement programs will save $1.6 million, but that slashing funding for public safety should have been a low priority.

The proposed budget Coats presented to commissioners in May totaled $260 million. The budget will be finalized by September and implemented by Oct. 1, the sheriff's office said.

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