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To Cut Costs, Pasco Sheriff's Office Grounds Air Unit

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By GEORGE WILKENS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 5, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - Pasco County Sheriff Bob White announced this morning he is disbanding the agency's air unit to cut annual operational costs by $600,000, much of which will be reallocated to put more patrol deputies on the streets.

The department will return its four helicopters to the federal government surplus program that provided them and will advertise its airplane for sale on the Internet, he said.

"It's devastating and it's disappointing," he said of the action but called it necessary in such economically trying times. "Our air unit has been essential and will be greatly missed."

About $440,000 of the annual savings will go toward putting "front-line troops on the ground protecting our citizens," White said.

The savings will come through elimination of two sheriff's office pilots, an observer and an aircraft mechanic. The pilots and observer are certified law enforcement officers who will be offered deputy positions.

The mechanic is effectively laid off unless he seeks a civilian job with the agency, such as in communications, said Maj. Maurice Radford, commander of uniformed operations.

The aircraft were extremely useful in helping track bank robbers, finding missing persons and providing firefighters with vital aerial information about brush fires in the county of 745 square miles, Radford said.

The three-seat helicopters will be returned to the federal government in about 60 days. The agency hopes to get about $100,000 for its 1978 Cessna Skyhawk 172 through Aerotrader.com.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4433.

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