Gilchrist County Sheriff's Office

Tommy Langford, Chairman February 23, 2006
Board of County Commissioners
Gilchrist County

Ref: Moving of Communications center

Honorable Chairman Langford,

As I addressed the Board, I advised that as an independent Constitutional Officer that such a
consideration as to the moving of Sheriff's Office personnel is outside the scope of the BOCC
jurisdiction. Under the provisions of FSS 30.53 these are my employees and realms of
employment fall within my constitutional duties and not those of the BOCC or their employees.
(See attached copies of FSS)

Under what authority are you taking this action? As Constitutional Officers we each took an
oath as part of our responsibility to provide for the health, safety and welfare of all our
residents. By taking the action that you have, you have created turmoil within my commun-
ications section with 1/2 of my staff threatening to quit if such move was to occur. Why does
it always come to me having to justify and explain the statutory provisions? I've always
attempted to stress teamwork with all working together for the general welfare of our
citizens.

In reviewing the survey submitted by Mr. Willis, I would advise that the survey is skewered as
to the way the questions were stated. Nowhere does it ask if the Sheriff operates a separate
communications center independent of county government operations.

To this end county dispatch communications traditionally cover Fire and EMS. (especially is
smaller counties)
* Only 46.9% of the 66 surveyed responded.
* There is insufficient data to form any valid conclusion.

Question #2 - in some of the counties surveyed, the Sheriff is the Public Safety Director.
In Hamilton county the Sheriff is also designated as 911 Coordinator and Emergency Management.
In Broward County the Sheriff is also the Director of Fire, Ems and all pubic safety. Leon
County also placed the emergency management duties under the Sheriff. There are others that
would fall into these cateorgories. Numerous counties are recognizing the duplication of
services and waste of funds from already tight budgets and recognizes the existing response
of the Sheriff's Office on a 24/7 basis and the professionalism that is demonstrated during
all emergencies. Based on the limited data, only 12 Sheriffs of the 66 surveyed share control
of the Communications Center. (Even these must comply with the statutory provisions, under
part or all of the Sheriff's authority.)

As to question #3 - No conclusion of any type can be found based on the inadequate structure of
the question. Several Sheriff's Offices maintain their own Communications Center outside of the
Sheriff's administration office but still within the Sheriff's complex. Some Sheriff's still
maintain their own communications center in the jail. At least one county runs the entire EOC
as a wing extension of the county jail under the Sheriff's control. (Attached you will find the
Sheriff's directory for each county and as you will observe most Sheriff's Offices have a
sworn officer supervising all communications functions.)

Several of the larger counties have duplicate communications centers in that individual cities will
have their own dispatch, and other gov't entities may dispatch their own fire, ems, public safety
and road departments separate and apart from the Sheriff's Office. Within Gilchrist County, I
provide all communications operations and ensure training and certification in all aspects as well
as the $233,000.00 that I spent several years ago to provide the proper radio equipment for all
county agencies. This has always been provided to aid in keeping down the costs of duplication,
however I am not bound to provide these services by law. I don't believe that you truly realize
the costs that would be encountered if such a move and re-establishment of communications to the
proposed site would cost the BOCC? (Far more that the $200,000 that was stated!)

In the WCJB TV broadcast conducted by Mr. Willis, he was quick to point out that "the Sheriff's
Office currently doesn't have hurricane straps on the roof, doesn't have hurricane shutters, it
is in an area where if you get a lot of rain, flood waters can penetrate the building." (see
attached web report) How does building a new building correct or resolve this issue? You,
the BOCC have known of this deficiency for several years and yet I am still awaiting your action.
(Pursuant to FSS 30.49, my duty was to notify you, which has been done on several occasions.)
Is it my understanding that according to Ron McQueen in the public meeting last week, that even
with the "Local Mitigation Grant" that we have been awarded, that the Sheriff's Office will still
NOT be in compliance with the building codes? When will this be corrected? How does moving 911
solve anything? What about my administration building and the jail?

If you the Board, decide to move the EOC, then that of course is within your authority. However the
staffing that the Sheriff's Office has provided in the past will remain at the Sheriff's Office.
This will considerably reduce staffing to the EOC during an emergency because I would not be able
to pull staff from other duties within the Sheriff's Office where the present EOC is established.
I believe that you will find that most EOC's in the State of Florida are located within the county
seat. All functions of county government are historically located at the county seat. Branch
offices may be set up outside the county seat by statute. (See attached - FSS 30.10 Sheriff's,
Clerk's - FSS 28.07)

As an example, Hardee county moved their communications center back in 1993. Within a short
period of time the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted an audit with the end result
being that the BOCC immediately transferred communications back to the Sheriff and provided all
funding to ensure its operation. (See attached)

The Sheriff's Office operates on a 24hr/ 7day a week basis. Even if I approved of such a move of
the Communications Center our staffing at the Sheriff's Office would have to be increased to
provide staff to meet those citizens that come to the office at times other than normal business
hours (8AM-5PM) that most other businesses have. Presently dispatch can converse with these
individuals and summon a deputy or other arrangements as benefit the situation. The loss of all
the functions that communications performs is a vital ingredient (the heart of the Sheriff's
Office) in the overall performance of my agency and would consist of far more than "the minor
inconviences" that Mr. Willis referred to in his presentation paper to the BOCC.

Attached you will find articles written on July 6th & 7th regarding the murder of a Central Florida
Community College professor outside an unstaffed Ocala Police station. It is imperative that law
enforcement provide for the safety of our citizens and ensure that we do not provide a false sense
of security that may not be existent.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement publishes a CJIS certification manual that has very
specific mandates (same as law) that MUST be adhered to. Florida State Statute 943.0525
mandates the execution of user agreements for compliance and that FCIC/NCIC must be placed
in a criminal justice agency. My educated and qualified staff is well aware of these mandates
and compliance. Never have I attempted to tell any County Commissioner how to do their private
jobs and yes I become upset when my staff or I are challenged over and over again by individuals
who are not qualified that make suggestions, etc. that the BOCC takes faith in or does not
question but then turns to us to justify our professional duties. We are dedicated to our
job duties and to the citizens of this county!

As I also stated, another concern is the safety of my staff (communications & patrol), the radio
equipment/devices and facilities. Contrary to the innuendo that Mr. Willis made in the local
Journal, he IS NOT over communications and will not be while I am still Sheriff.

I have attached copies of the job duties for communications officers as well as the checklists
that each new dispatcher must achieve before being released from probation. As you will see,
there are many job tasks that are performed in addition to answering the phone and radio! I
have also attached a copy of an upcoming training course offering which exhibits the variety
of tasks trained as well as costs and variety of certifications obtained. I am proud of my
communications staff and the highly trained and technical skills that they possess and exhibit
in their daily functions.

I would point out to you that the site that you have chosen for the total concept that is being
proposed lies within the 386 telephone exchange. (Gay Rd./NW 30th St. north to the county line)
Presently only 8% (1791) of all calls to communications come from this area with 92% (23433) of
the calls coming from the south of Gay Road. Also, we presently have only one (1) 800 toll free
line coming into the communications center. This is acceptable however based upon the call
statistics. The average monthly bill for this runs from $60-100 per month. If the commun-
cations center was moved then you would have 92% of all calls being made either on the single
800 line or citizens would have to call long distance. The costs of adding additional 800
lines (no roll overs) could be astronomical.

You should also be aware that in the calendar year 2005 we show a total of 373 fire calls
(avg. 1/day) and a total of EMS calls of 2131 (avg. 5.8 calls/day). Even combining both
for a total of 2504 does not seem to justify the expense of creating a completely separate
24/7 communications center. As compared with the 17504 calls received by the Sheriff's
Office dispatch for all agencies.

Since it is apparent by the Boards actions that you are unaware of the functions and performance
standards that communications operates under, I have attached copies of ESF2 & 16, Gilchrist
County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, FDLE'S Emergency Response Planning
Guide and a copy of the Sheriff's Office Radio Station License. Hopefully you will recognize
that this is a high liability area of concern for me, as Sheriff and an area that I will not
approve of being turned over to a novice.

Thank you for the manner in which you handled this issue and the confidence that you showed
in my 30 years of continuous law enforcement experience compared to the three (3) years law
enforcement and 1 yr attorney experience of your new Public Safety Officer.

Sincerely,

David P. Turner,
Sheriff

Updated July 26, 2006