LIGHTHOUSE POINT POLICE UPGRADE WITH MILLIONS FROM DEA PARTNERING

The city's police department has received so much money from
partnering on Drug Enforcement Administration task forces, it hasn't
figured out how to spend all the cash.

"It's a nice luxury to have, absolutely," said Chief Ross Licata, "and
allows us to purchase equipment it would be difficult to find funding
for in these tough times."

Lighthouse Point police have served on federal anti-drug task forces
for more than a decade, and have $3.3 million total in shared
forfeiture funds for their efforts. It must be spent for specific
purposes, including investigations, officer education and equipment.

Licata's 32 officers patrol a 2.5-square-mile city of 11,202
residents, where single-family homes have an average market value of
$727,467.

From September 2007 through September 2008, crime in the city rose
18.5 percent, from 303 incidents to 359. The top three categories
where crime went up were Internet and contractor fraud (39 incidents
in 2007, 71 through September); drugs (12 vs. 28) and petty larcenies
(98 vs. 120). There were no rape, murder, kidnapping or arson cases in
the past year and Licata reports there was a 50 percent rise in arrests.

Last year, police used $15,000 of DEA funds for ammunition for 20 new
semi-automatic rifles.

"We've seen an increase of violent crime all around us, including
along our western border of Federal Highway, at convenience stores and
banks, where criminals are using weapons that possessed more firepower
than we had," Licata said. "We need to make it an equal playing field
so that our officers can adequately protect themselves and our citizens."

Virginia Campbell, a certified public accountant and chamber of
commerce board member, approves of recent purchases.

"I would hope it's a bit of overkill as far as the assault rifles are
concerned, but certainly [police] ought to have what they need," she
said.

In September, with the $2.6 million the department got from forfeited
drug and money-laundering assets, it bought ticketing software for
patrol cars, radar guns, handguns and accessories; a system to
download businesses' surveillance videos after robberies, and it put
$20,000 toward overtime for training and ongoing investigations. On
order: a digital fingerprinting machine; traffic counter; camcorders;
a golf cart for covert patrols; ballistic helmets, and treadmills.

The city may also buy an 18-camera license plate recognition system
that is hooked up to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement
database. "On a real-time basis, every license plate that comes into
or exits the city will be captured and checked to see if it's wanted,
stolen or suspicious," Lighthouse Point Mayor Fred Schorr said.

The most recent payday represents 20 percent of the city's general
fund budget. Sharing an officer with a DEA investigation was worth the
sacrifice, Schorr said.

"It allows our officers to participate in new training and techniques
they can bring back," he said. "Our officers have done very well and
we're reaping the benefits now."

The federal asset-distribution program has been in effect since 1984.
Eleven other police agencies in Broward County also received $2.6
million apiece; Sunrise earned $5.3 million because it sent more
officers to the task force, and plans to spend $2.8 million on a new
police building with a "state of the art" firearms range.

"It will be the envy of other departments in the county," said Sunrise
Police Lt. Brian Gerity.