The Leon County Sheriff’s Office is expanding its partnership with other Sheriff’s offices around the region. The new collaboration is based on the success of LCSO teaming up with Florida Highway Patrol this past year.
After Sheriff Walt McNeil joined FHP in announcing the “All In” program in 2017, it resulted in the agencies seizing more than 900,000 dollars in contraband and assets from criminals during a four-month period.
Now, McNeil says he and Sheriff’s offices across the Big Bend will be able to maximize their efficiency. And, he says, the new “Deputies Without Borders” program will apply to all crimes, big and small.
“This Deputies Without Borders initiative isn’t focused on any particular crime, or the exclusion of any crime,” McNeil said. “What we’re saying is, where the criminals are, and where the criminals are engaged in harming citizens in our community, we are going to be there too.”
McNeil says that means agencies contributing assets to help their counterparts across county lines when it’s needed.
For people like Jefferson County Sheriff Mac McNeill, that could be a huge help.
“Jefferson County’s a small county, and you know, we have an issue with our budget and our manpower. And so, an initiative like this will really help us,” McNeill said.
This week, LCSO and its partners plan to be in Gadsden County working with Florida Highway Patrol, where recently-released statistics for 2017 have shown a significant spike in total crime.
