The state of Florida is tightening its belt in all the wrong places. Faced with decreased revenues, Florida has decided that they will lay off 66 probation officers to make up the shortfall.
These cuts are on top of the 199 positions eliminated in 2008 and the 75 eliminated in 2007.
Eliminating the officers will result in an average case load of 93 convicts per officer, up from 84, according to the Miami Herald.
With crime likely to rise in the hard economic times, and fewer police and probation officers to handle it, what are the likely results? More citizens victimized and more cops hurt or killed.
Watch your back, and stay safe!
66 Florida Probation Officers Laid Off
State Lays Off Probation Officers
Richard is a police officer with a medium sized, central Florida department, and previously worked for a Metro-Atlanta agency. He has served as a field training officer, court officer, corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, watch commander, commander of a field training and evaluation program, and general pain in the butt to management-types looking to cut training hours.
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God forbid they cut salaries for politicians, or cut something “important” like entitlements. Public safety is expendable though.
Wow! Go figure give the o Law Enforcement Officers a car with paid fuel, insurance and maintance to drive to and from work everyday and on their days off just so you can put the public at risk by reducing the force size. Don’t forget the cost of living increases that the politicians get every six months or so.
[...] But Stockton PD is not alone. I’ve detailed before how agencies like the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department have laid off law enforcement officers, and how the state of Florida has dumped hundreds of probation officers. [...]