SHERIFF, POLICE BATTLE CRIME USING TEAMWORK APPROACH

I wanted to share some information about the recent Fort Myers annexation
of some Dunbar neighborhoods that residents may not know about.

First, I agreed with annexation because the checkerboard of jurisdictions
has always been a hindrance to policing the area. It didn't make it
impossible because I deputized city police officers and also implemented an
innovative mutual aid agreement giving them police powers outside their
normal jurisdiction. However, annexation helped the city of Fort Myers
legally and financially.

Second, by deputizing city police officers, they were able to go in and
make the arrests that they did make. While they did that, I continued
patrolling their city and adjacent neighborhoods as I always have. This
allowed the city to have the personnel to give the enhanced service. We
will continue our normal patrols in the annexed neighborhoods for the next
year. Chief Daniels and I will continue to work together as a team to meet
the needs of our community.

Third, in 2001, when I took office, I immediately brought in the Drug
Enforcement Administration Mobile Enforcement Team, a multi-agency task
force that made more than 40 arrests of big-time drug dealers. We took them
through federal court so they would get mandatory jail time and it really
cleaned out the neighborhoods. These were not small-time dealers, they were
very well-organized and we crippled the drug trade.

Fourth, in 2002 we brought in a crime reduction team composed of specially
selected deputies who focused on neighborhood crime. It is based on the
model of the weed and seed program; however, we didn't use a grant to do
it. The MET team attacked our targets, we weeded them out, then we sent a
crime reduction team into the community and lowered the crime rate by 20
percent.

So, in 2001 we took significant action. In 2002 we took significant action.
In 2003 we worked with the city to help it get annexation and we are
working with it to make annexation a smooth transition.

In a Mailbag letter, a resident said that I left a mess for the Fort Myers
police to inherit. But in fact, we worked as a team to get the
neighborhoods where they are today -- they were significantly worse. The
men and women of the sheriff's office assiduously worked to identify
neighborhood problems, solve them and create an environment fostering
long-term, fundamental change in the community. The Fort Myers police have
joined in this effort. Now there is an opportunity for the citizens in the
community to take an active role in making criminals unwelcome and their
neighborhoods safe.

- -- Rod Shoap is Lee County sheriff.