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Sheriff To Disband Air Unit

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By GEORGE WILKENS

gwilkens@tampatrib.com

Published: March 6, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - Pasco County Sheriff Bob White announced Thursday that he will disband the agency's air unit - eliminating four helicopters and one airplane - to cut annual operational costs by $600,000, much of which will be reallocated to hire more patrol deputies.

"It's devastating, and it's disappointing," but necessary in such economically trying times, he said. "Our air unit has been essential and will be greatly missed. This is a measure of last resort" dictated by budget constraints, he said.

Eliminating two sheriff's office pilots, one in-flight observer and the aircraft mechanic will free up $440,000 in annual salaries and benefits, money that will be used to put more "front-line troops on the ground protecting our citizens," numbering 460,000 in a county of 745 square miles, White said.

Equipped with sophisticated radar, the helicopters were extremely useful in trailing bank robbery suspects, searching for missing children or Alzheimer patients, doing surveillance and other tasks, White said.

When the price of copper recently was at record levels, aerial observation led to on-scene apprehensions that helped curb the rash of thefts of rooftop air-conditioners, said Maj. Maurice Radford, commander of uniformed forces, including the air unit. "Those are typical crimes in the middle of the night you don't usually have witnesses for," he said.

If Pasco County finds itself in need of air support, asking a neighboring sheriff for assistance is pretty much out of the question, White said.

"I would not expect we'd be able to reach out ... and say, 'Can I borrow your helicopter?' We can't rely on our neighbors to take care of us," White said. Even if a loaner was offered, "It would cost us too much money," he said.

Additional annual savings of $60,000 will result from termination of the county's lease for hangar space at Hidden Lake Airport.

The OH-58 helicopters will be returned to the federal government, which provided them to Pasco through a military surplus grant. The sheriff's office hopes to get $100,000 for its 1978 Cessna Skyhawk 172, offering it online through Aerotrader.com.

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 or at the jail, Radford said.

The agency's air unit predates White's election as sheriff, going back some 20 years, he estimated.

In January, the Panhandle county of Escambia disbanded its air unit, two OH-58 helicopters, citing budgetary constraints.

The shutdown could take about 60 days. "We have all but grounded them anyway," reducing flight hours in recent weeks, White said. The chief pilot was moved out of the unit recently in a last-ditch effort to keep things afloat.

Barring a sharp reversal of economic conditions and "a Herculean effort," White said he doubts the department will again operate aircraft. "This may be the end of the air unit in Pasco County. "It's way too expensive to fund."

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

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