A DRUG CAR REFORMED

Sumter Sheriff's Office To ADD Seized Vehicles To Fleet

A car once used to mule drugs through Sumter County is now prowling the
streets on the other side of the law. A black 1994 Acura Legend - decked
out with shiny rims, leather interior, wooden console and sunroof - is the
newest addition to the patrol car fleet of the Sumter County Sheriff's
Office. The car was seized during a cocaine bust several years ago.
Officials say the outfitting a drug car is a first for the department, and
shows how local agencies are getting creative in the face of a continuing
budget crunch. "The county has been real good about providing vehicles for
us, but we figured this year they'd be making some cuts," said Chief Deputy
Anthony Dennis. The state is facing a budget shortfall of about $340,000,
and county officials are already warning that funds will be tighter than
ever this year. The sheriff's office will likely request that council
increase wages for starting deputies. Officials say they are losing
manpower to neighboring law enforcement agencies, including the Sumter
Police Department, because of salaries several thousand dollars below what
other agencies offer.

With money scarce, the sheriff's office is positioning itself for this
year's budgeting process. A new Crown Victoria equipped as a patrol car
costs the county about $27,000, Dennis said. Repainting the seized Acura
and installing radar, strobe lights and other devices cost about $4,000, he
said. "That saves us about $20,000 by putting this car on the road.
Hopefully it shows council that we're working with them," he said. This
fiscal year, Sumter County Council added 10 new cars to the sheriff's fleet
of 120 vehicles. The annual addition of new cars allows the older vehicles
to be put to rest, Dennis said. Some patrol cars currently have between
130,000 and 140,000 miles on them, and "with the budget cuts, it looks like
they'll get even more than that," predicted Capt. David Florence.
Incorporating seized vehicles could become regular practice. The sheriff's
office seizes as many as 20 vehicles a year in drug busts. By law, a
vehicle's ownership is conferred to the county if it is shown to have
facilitated drug trafficking or was acquired with drug money. The seized
vehicles are sometimes used in undercover operations, but have never been
remodeled into regular patrol cars. They are normally sold off in public
auctions, and "we really don't get their worth," Dennis said. The Acura
will be assigned to the traffic division, used to patrol school crossing
areas and track down speeders. Keeping patrol cars on the streets plays a
vital role in curbing drunken driving and traffic and pedestrian
fatalities, Florence said. Sumter County is among the worst in the state in
all of those categories. "These cars ought to try and decrease some of that
stuff," Florence said. Next to the high-powered 2001 Chevy Camaro patrol
car assigned to Cpl. Alex Dukes, the new Acura might be the most
sought-after car on the force. The Camaro is equipped with high-performance
tires and a souped-up engine, and can top 160 mph. Dukes, who has been
assigned a Camaro for the past four years, said he isn't ready yet to
change cars. "But the Acura is a nice car," he said.