FLORIDA TOWN COME OCTOBER 1ST? IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE? >> COME NEXT MONTH, THERE WILL
BE NO POLICE OFFICERS TO
RESPOND TO CALLS IN PEMBROKE
PARK.
>> THAT’S BECAUSE THE TOWN’S
CONTRACT WITH THE BROWARD
SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS EXPIRING
AND THE TOWN’S NEW DEPARTMENT
WILL NOT BE READY.
LOCAL 10’S INVESTIGATOR JEFF
WEINSIER IS LIVE IN PEMBROKE
PARK WITH WHAT THIS ALL MEANS.
JEFF?
>> VERY SERIOUS COME OCTOBER
1ST.
NO DEPUTIES, NO POLICE
OFFICERS ON THE STREETS TO
RESPOND TO ANY CALLS IN THE
TOWN OF PEMBROKE PARK.
AND THE TOWN’S OWN ATTORNEY AT
A MEETING RECENTLY WARNED THE
MAYOR THE DECISION TO CANCEL
BSO’S CONTRACT WITHOUT A BACK
UP IS VERY CONCERNING.
>> I DON’T KNOW WHAT WOULD
HAPPEN IF WE HAD A SERIOUS
INCIDENT IN THIS TOWN.
ON OCTOBER 2ND OR OCTOBER
1ST.
AND I DON’T WANT TO FIND OUT
THAT WE DON’T HAVE ADEQUATE
POLICE SERVICES.
>> PEMBROKE PARK’S TOWN
ATTORNEY EXPRESSING HER
CONCERN AT A RECENT MEETING.
SO IS JOHN WHO MANAGES A
BUSINESS ALONG HALLANDALE
BEACH BOULEVARD.
>> WHAT’S GONNA HAPPEN WHEN WE
NEED THEM AND THERE’S NOBODY
HERE?
>> BUT THE MAYOR WILLING TO
TAKE THE RISK.
>> CONTINUING ANY CONTRACT
WITH THE SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
IS A DISSERVICE TO THE TOWN OF
PEMBROKE PARK.
>> BSO HAS PROVIDED PROTECTION
IN THE TOWN OF PEMBROKE PARK
FOR 42 YEARS.
SEPTEMBER 30TH, THAT ENDS.
THE BROWARD SHERIFF’S OFFICE
HAS OFFERED THE TOWN OF
PEMBROKE PARK A $3.4 MILLION
ONE YEAR CONTRACT THAT WOULD
COVER THE GAP UNTIL PEMBROKE
PARK IS READY TO ROLL.
BUT THE MAYOR HERE FEELS THAT
CONTRACT SHOULD BE MONTH TO
MONTH.
>> THIS IS ABOUT MONEY, MONEY.
IT’S ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY COULD
GET OUT OF PEMBROKE PARK AND
NOT SERVE OUR RESIDENTS IN OUR
COMMUNITY.
>> MAYOR JAY SOBCOBS FEELS THE
HAS BEEN OVERPAYING FOR
SERVICE.
RESPONSE TIMES ARE TOO LONG,
REFERRED TO A STUDY CLAIMING
21% OF CALLS AREN’T BEING
RESPONDED TO.
THE TOWN SAYS ONLY TWO
DEPUTIES ARE ON DUTY AT ANY
GIVEN TIME.
IN MAY, THE MAYOR DECIDED HE
WANTED HIS OWN DEPARTMENT.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAM HODGKIN’S
IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE GAP IN
SERVICE AND IS THE ONLY ONE
WHO VOTED AGAINST ELIMINATING
BSO’S CONTRACT ON SEPTEMBER
30TH.
>> WE WILL FIND SOMETHING.
>> WE DON’T KNOW THAT.
>> NO, WE WILL FIND SOMETHING.
>> UNTIL WE DO IT, I THINK WE
NEED TO COVER OUR BUTTS.
>> I’VE PROVEN MYSELF, WE WILL
FIND SOMETHING.
>> INTERIM POLICE CHIEF DAVID
HOWARD SAYS HE COULD OPEN HIS
POLICE DEPARTMENT EARLY, BUT
AT THIS POINT, HE HAS NO
CONNECTION WITH THE COUNTY’S
9-1-1 SYSTEM.
NO RADIO SYSTEM AT ALL AND
MORE IMPORTANTLY --
>> WHAT DO YOU NEED TO OPEN?
>> I NEED POLICEMEN.
>> THE BROWARD SHERIFF’S
OFFICE CALLING THE TOWN’S
DECISION IRRESPONSIBLE,
IRRATIONAL, FUELLED BY
POLITICAL ANTICS.
SAYS THE MAYOR’S STATEMENTS
ABOUT BSO’S PERFORMANCE IS
BASED ON A MISUNDERSTANDING OF
DATA IN A STUDY.
BY STATUTE, BSO HAS AN
OBLIGATION TO RESPOND TO 9-1-1
CALLS IN THE COUNTY.
BUT "THE TOWN HAS BEEN WARNED
THAT RESPONSE TIMES TO THESE
EMERGENCY CALLS WILL
SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE."
NO EXACT LAUNCH DATE FOR THIS
DEPARTMENT.
THEY’RE WORKING ON THE BUDGET
TO HIRE OFFICERS TO PUT INSIDE
THESE PATROL CARS.
NOW OCTOBER 1ST IS A WEEK FROM
SATURDAY.
THERE’LL BE NO PATROLLING, NO
TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT.
A SOURCE ACTUALLY TELLING ME
CALLS LIKE A SUSPICIOUS
PERSON, SHOPLIFTING, A NOISE
COMPLAINT, EVEN A TRAFFIC
CRASH WILL GO UNANSWERED.
THERE’LL BE NO OFFICERS IN THE
TOWN OF PEMBROKE PARK.
THE MAYOR IS OUT OF TOWN,
TELLING ME BY E-MAIL TODAY
ARRANGEMENTS WITH OTHER
DEPARTMENTS ARE BEING
DISCUSSED.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THERE IS
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IN WRITING.