Important Excerpts from Willdan Police Study are reprinted here to point out that 1) the Sheriff must provide the same level of service regardless of whether we are contracted with them or not and 2) we already pay for sheriff services on our County Tax bill.
Given the State Constitution and the overall statutory duties of the County Sheriff and the provisions of the Palm Beach County Charter, the Sheriff as a constitutional officer, acting on behalf of the County has a duty to fund a comparable level of law enforcement services within the City of Lake Worth irrespective of municipal incorporation. That level of service should be the same level provided in the unincorporated areas of the County and would consist of state and county laws and regulations – but not municipal ordinances. The City of Lake Worth residents are paying the same county tax for law enforcement services as those in the unincorporated areas who do not have an agreement for law enforcement services. More clearly stated; Lake Worth residents are paying for the same level of law enforcement protection as those who reside in the unincorporated county areas even though they also paid for a municipal police department prior to 2008.
Based upon the Sheriff’s constitutional duties, there are a number of county wide services that are funded by and available to all residents in Palm Beach County municipalities by the County General Fund. These include:
• Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT)
• Air Support – Helicopter Patrol
• Marine Patrol
• Mounted Patrol
• K-9
• Specialized strategic investigations such as homicides, traffic homicides,
organized crime (vice & narcotics), intelligence, serious sexual crimes
• Full service Crime lab – Hazardous Materials
• Prisoner and jail services
• Evidence Custodian
• Homeland security to include interagency emergency preparedness operations,
disaster coordination and civil defense that compliments local emergency
management support.
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Thank you
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