|
|
| Agency, already stretched, fears cuts |
| By By JIM ASH • The News-Press Capital Bureau |
| Published: 02/16/2009 |
|
Florida probation officers who monitor the most dangerous felons, including sex and drug offenders, could be taking on more work as regular caseloads climb to almost 100 per officer. Regrouping after losing 66 probation officers to recent budget cuts, Department of Corrections Secretary Walt McNeil wants to ask supervisors and senior officers to pick up some of the overflow. The move is driven more by a search for efficiency than budget cuts, McNeil said. He insists it would not jeopardize the safety of the officers or the public. "We are going to do nothing to risk that," he said. "I want to make sure that we keep our probation officers safe and our citizens safe. That's our priority." The case juggling is another sign of a system that is stretched to the breaking point with 122,493 cases, said Matt Puckett, a spokesman for the Florida Police Benevolent Association. The union is working with the department on the proposed shuffle, largely to avoid more layoffs, Puckett said. The state's small army of 2,500 probation officers and supervisors can't withstand any more position cuts, Puckett said. Read more. If link has expired, check the website of the article's original news source. |
MARKETPLACE search vendors | advanced search
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
|
Comments:
No comments have been posted for this article.
Login to let us know what you think