Sheriff: Layoffs Inevitable After Budget Cut

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Sheriff John Rutherford says he will have to take officers off the street after the City Council's Finance Committee voted to cut his budget by $8.8 million Thursday morning.

Rutherford warned the committee that these cuts will be painful and will compromise public safety.

The Council Committee's vote requests the Sheriff reduce his spending by three percent.

Rutherford spent nearly 90 minutes arguing that the Sheriff's Department would face difficulties doing its job with fewer officers.

After the vote, Rutherford told reporters that the Committee's action ultimately would force him to lay off more than 100 JSO employees.

"That's why I have to do those layoffs. I cannot write a check October 1st when I know the money is not going to be there," said Rutherford.

He adds that the Community Service Officer program faces being gutted, meaning the Sheriff will have to take the 92 yellow-shirted officers off the street.

Rutherford also pointed out that he will be unable to hire 50 new officers under the COPS grant program.

City Council President Richard Clark says he was not surprised by the committee's action and doesn't believe public safety will be compromised.

"That's the goal of this entire exercise, how do we look at building a better government, lean, so we can come out of this recession with a better Jacksonville," said Clark.

Sheriff Rutherford says his last shot is with the entire city council that must vote on the committee's recommendations later this month.

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