Mayor Calls For Regular Reports from Sheriff's Office

Mayor Dave Eggers told commissioners that he wants the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office to appear regularly at Dunedin city commission meetings in light of recent concerns for neighborhood crime on the south side.

By Katie Dolac
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December 19, 2012

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Recent rumblings from southside residents concerned about neighborhood crime got Mayor Dave Eggers thinking about the city's relationship with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

"That's the largest contract in the city," he said to commissioners during a Dec. 6 public meeting at City Hall. " ... And nobody really has any interaction here with them," he said, referring to public discourse on the dais.

Eggers consulted the commission about having Nancy Duggan, the city's Pinellas County Sheriff's Office liaison, ensure law enforcement reports regularly at Dunedin's city meetings — whether it be every other month or every third month.

"It gives the Sheriff (Office) an opportunity to show his face to the residents of the city," Eggers said. "If they have an issue that they'd like to bring to the commission, if we — the commissioners — have a question, we can try to agendize that item under their corner ... ."

Commissioner Julie Scales said the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office was doing a good job and that she was concerned for their time and staffing resources.

"Maybe we can start with a written report from them," she said.

The mayor said he would prefer in-person appearances, but was open to alternatives.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office gives regular verbal reports at public meetings for other cities it oversees, such as Indian Rocks Beach, where a deputy begins each of the city's bi-monthly commission meetings with a rundown of the latest reports.

Duggan told Dunedin Patch in August that she receives incident reports from North District Station daily. Dunedin's crime analysis reports are shared with the Public Safety Committee each month, and crime is reviewed by the commission each year during the budget process, Duggan said in August.

When asked in August why the city of Dunedin did not follow a similar procedure, Duggan said:

"The commission has decided that between staff, PCSO and the Public Safety Committee that issues are being addressed. ... If anything on a day-to-day basis rises to a heightened level, the city manager and city commission are immediately given the information."

All the commissioners agreed on Dec. 6 for Duggan to explore how the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office could more regularly report to residents during commission meetings.

Although the city is welcoming Capt. Glenn Luben to North District Station during the presentation portion of the commission meeting Thursday at City Hall, law enforcement concerns are not on the agenda for Dec. 20.

Luben's move to Dunedin is the result of 27 recent promotions inside the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. Luben is replacing longtime Capt. William Hagans, who is moving to the Sheriff's Investigative Operations Bureau.

Pinellas County Sheriff's Office has not yet responded to Dunedin Patch's email request for comment on the city's Dec. 6 inquiry.

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Related Topics: Neighborhood Crime, Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, Southside Crime, and dunedin

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Karen Burton

11:43 am on Wednesday, December 19, 2012

I am with Mayor Eggers. In-person appearances are essential to let the Southside know that the SO is making a concerted effort to communicate with us face to face. Ms. Scales needs to realize what it is like to live over here where drugs and felons are taking over our streets heavily populated with children and schools. You can bet that there are lots of guns around as well. In light of the recent murders in Newtown, I think Dunedin's citizens are in need of all the protection we can get.

Amy

1:57 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012

I would agree as well, face to face is always best, The Sheriff's office has been doing a great job over the last two weeks, and we appreciate that but as it has been said this problem did not start over night and will not stop just because the officers are there, it will take time.

Snow Bird

10:38 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

I can't believe these people are not getting the full support AND appreciation of the authorities on the drug traffickers in the city of Dunedin!!! This movement is going to destroy the entire city if there is no concentrated police effort to to banish it now, before it's too late! The police should arrest and yes, re-arrest these people, over and over and over. Their presence needs to be felt each and every time a deal goes down until they feel the need to move on! Isn't a phone call from a concerned citizen enough cause to send an officer? to knock on doors? to ask questions? to stop suspicious characters on streets where they have no business being? I think the officers involved need better training on these tactics since this problem cannot be pushed under a carpet. It's call a "war" on drugs for a reason and needs to be the number one priority to save the city. The citizens disbanded the neighborhood watch because of the response from the police?? That's extremely sad!!! It's going to take time?? Fine!! But in the interim the people living in the area have to be protected, the answer is not for them to hide in their homes and do nothing while the police try to "build" a case. What will happen is good people will be forced to move from the area, leaving room for even more undesirables to move in! I sincerely hope more is being done with this problem than is being publicized because I love Dunedin and would hate to witness it's downfall.

Lori

2:03 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Margaret...This once quaint town is nowhere near that definition any longer...The city and law enforcement have let this go so long that its going to take years to get it under control...Thats if this isnt just the routine lip service and the entities do something...Anything to start would be better than the ZERO that is being done now.

Loves Light

5:29 pm on Monday, December 31, 2012

There will always be people who choose to believe in the fantasy of what Dunedin once was. They blindly refuse to accept the facts that are presented to them but those of us that live here know otherwise.I'm kind of done arguing with these knuckleheads. Their motto is "Dunedin. Love it or leave it", I actually had someone say that to me when I brought up concerns as to what really goes on in south part of Dunedin.There seems to be a dichotomy or disconnect between what happens downtown with it's commercially primed cheery exterior and the neighborhoods that lie far south of that area. Sheriffs? I am the po-po in this neighborhood!
When we see suspicious activity we report it to the sherrifs dept. But then there's so much of that going on these days it's almost hard to keep up with it all on a daily basis. It's bad enough that when my 19 & 21 yr old kids come home after midnight I go outside & wait for them to get out of their cars because of the creepy night owls that enjoying lurking about the neighborhood. But then if you don't live in this area you have no idea as to what I'm talking about.Sure, invite Julie down around after dark to the Union/Douglas St. /Pinellas Trail area and encourage her to share how comfortable she feels being there then. Look, it;s fine if the folks downtown aren't motivated to do what it takes to keep the southern part pf the city's residents safe & informed.

Cindy

8:22 pm on Wednesday, January 16, 2013

I'am leaving it as soon as possible! It will never change, and life is to short to settle living in a place that lacks peace and safety. After 25 years I'am giving up! I what my Son to know what it is like to live in a nice town. And this town is not it.