Sheriff Wants More Officers, Higher Wages

Can Sheriff Brad Steube lower Manatee County's high crime rate?

Steube says the answer is yes, if he can hire more officers and increase their pay, according to the Bradenton Herald.

Manatee had the ninth highest county crime rate in Florida in 2011.

Steube plans to ask the county commission for:

• 20 more officers;

• starting pay at $40,489, up from $39,689;

• an overall budget of $101.1 million, up from $97 million.

Steube will submit his proposed budget to the county administration office on Wednesday.

According to the Bradenton Herald, Steube said:

"Right now, we respond to 850 calls for service a day. I have deputies going call to call. We should be driving through neighborhoods during the days and looking for suspicious activity. And that is why, in the first three months of 2013, crime is up 4 percent. It's vehicle and residential burglaries."

Steube noted that the Manatee County Sheriff has fewer officers per population than what the FBI recommends. The department also pays its starting officers less than what many neighboring police agencies pay, he said.

Get the Bradenton Patch newsletter delivered to your email. It's free.