The jobs of 300 Broward Sheriffs Office deputies in Pompano Beach are safe -- for now -- after the decision of whether to keep BSO or form their own police force was delayed at last night's city commission meeting.
At issue was whether the city will resign BSO to a new 5-year, $38 million per contract or decide to start up their own police force. BSO has spent the last 10 years protecting Pompano Beach, but some on the Commission feel they could save millions by forming their own force.
"What I concluded from all of the assessments that have been conducted today is that the opportunity does exist to save substantial resources by the recreation of the Pompano Beach Police Department," said city manager Dennis Beach, during the meeting which lasted several hours.
Holding signs reading "Keep BSO in Pompano Beach," nearly 200 officers converged before the meeting, rallying in the hopes of saving the estimated 300 jobs which could be cut if BSO doesn't get its contract renewed.
BSO Sheriff Al Lamberti said it's not about money.
"It's been a great relationship for 10 years, I can't see throwing that all away," Lamberti said. "People have to feel safe, they have to feel secure, you can't measure that in dollars and cents."
The BSO pointed to figures that show that while the population has risen by 35 percent in the past years, crime has gone down 22 percent in that same time.
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But Charles Whitelock, a consultant hired by Pompano Beach to look into the matter, said BSO has refused to respond to any counteroffers, and said the BSO's cost figures and how they break down in relation to the services provided are off.
"My opinion is that the figures are being padded, but I don't believe that the figures that you're paying for are what you're receiving," Whitelock said.
While some residents were critical of the BSO's job in Pompano, others recounted first-hand positive experiences they had with the agency.
"When it came to the life of my son they all truly pulled together and got the job done," said resident Hamilton Doyle. "BSO had the resources to find my son where he may not have been found so quickly if those resources were diminished."
In the end, after five hours of back and forth, no decision was made. Mayor Lamar Fisher said the city and BSO need more time and more negotiations.
"Hopefully within the next 30 days we'll be able to make that final decision on behalf of the city," Fisher said. "There are figures in my opinion, on our side, that need to be polished up and revised, same thing for the sheriff."
