[Kannon451]

Originally Posted by BobnBev

Not only couldn't they pay you enough, they wouldn't pay you at all. You aren't a retired police officer. It would give retired officers a little extra spending money, plus make the roads a whole lot safer.

For there to be a need to make The Villages "a whole lot safer" with this proposal, this place must be very dangerous relative to driving and traffic. I am not aware of any official police data stating how dangerous The Villages is relative to other local areas.

[Walter123]

Originally Posted by redwitch

I would really hate to see this happen, regardless of who pays for it. The fact is that personalities change as we age. (Think of the retired officer who shot and killed the man in the theater for texting.) Plus, the level of training for police officers varies so much from community to community, let alone from state to state.

Things work pretty well here the way they are. We are in three counties and thus are patrolled by different entities (Sumter and Marion County Sheriffs and Lady Lake Police). All three forces seem to do a great job and cooperate well with each other.

This is definitely not a boat I want to see rocked.

Yep, I agree with you. Leave it to the professionals.

[Walter123]

Originally Posted by Trayderjoe

I am curious, in order to have a police force would The Villages have to first become a town or city so that the police force could then be "recognized" as a legal enforcement agency? Otherwise, wouldn't they then be an "armed security team"? I really don't know, perhaps someone else would know the answer? Should this be the case, then everything that is great about living in the Villages goes out the window.............

The Villages IS a city and as Redwitch said we cover three counties and the three police departments do a great job.

[Walter123]

Originally Posted by Kannon451

For there to be a need to make The Villages "a whole lot safer" with this proposal, this place must be very dangerous relative to driving and traffic. I am not aware of any official police data stating how dangerous The Villages is relative to other local areas.

TV is not a dangerous to live.

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by Harry Gilbert

Personally I don't see why a city of 100000 doesn't have its own police force other than cost.

But if they become part of the Sheriffs dept not community watch they would draw a salary from the Sheriff. Depending on where they retired from that could have an impact on any pension they receive. Not to mention the difficulty in getting retirees from different states all certified under Florida laws. and it's highly unlikely that a county Sheriff wants to take on the paperwork involved.

So the only logical solution is to form a TV police dept. 50000 homes times $100 each works out to 5 mil could get a lot for the money.

And another thought, Anyone performing traffic stops would need to be in uniform and armed.

1. The Villages is not a city. The politics of incorporating as a city and pre-empting part of the tax base from three counties and the City of Lady Lake would be virtually impossible politically, not to mention the difficulty with the various taxing districts we now operate under.

2. The Sheriff's Offices have budgets. They could not add more paid personnel without getting their respective County Commissions to raise their budgets, which would probably mean raising taxes. Don't hold your breath until that happens.

3. Even Reserve or Auxiliary Deputies would have to be trained in all aspects of Florida Law, and pass physical fitness, driving and firearms testing annually. Another BIG expense. And as a previously poster has said, repeatedly, liability, liability, liability.

4. I don't know how it is in Lake, Sumter and Marion Counties, but in Hillsborough, where I am from, Reserve II (Auxiliary) Deputies (who have never passed full Police Academy training) cannot perform law enforcement duties unless in the presence of a full-time Certified Deputy.

5. The Villages could hire a licensed guard service to provide "Security Guards" for security purposes, but they would not have law enforcement powers.

6. The need has not been demonstrated. It was simply someone's thought that perhaps we could get a little more traffic enforcement at a cheap price.

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by Walter123

The Villages IS a city and as Redwitch said we cover three counties and the three police departments do a great job.

The Villages is not a city. Being a city requires incorporation as a city, and recognition by the State. The Villages is a census-designated place which originated in Sumter County, Florida. It shares its name with a broader master-planned age-restricted community that spreads into portions of Lake and Marion counties

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by redwitch

I would really hate to see this happen, regardless of who pays for it. The fact is that personalities change as we age. (Think of the retired officer who shot and killed the man in the theater for texting.) Plus, the level of training for police officers varies so much from community to community, let alone from state to state.

Things work pretty well here the way they are. We are in three counties and thus are patrolled by different entities (Sumter and Marion County Sheriffs and Lady Lake Police). All three forces seem to do a great job and cooperate well with each other.

This is definitely not a boat I want to see rocked.

Just as a matter of interest, part of The Villages is in Lake County. There are three Counties and the City of Lady Lake policing various parts of the area. Not to mention the Florida Highway Patrol on all State Roads.

And in all of these areas there are various federal law enforcement and different state and federal regulatory agencies operating in areas that you don't even think about. Add Community Watch and all of the traffic cameras and surveillance areas in the town squares and in the entrances to the individual Villages, and it is no wonder the crime rate is comparatively low for such a populous area.

[Walter123]

Pretty sure you're wrong unless I'm missing something.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Villages,_Florida

The US Census ranked The Villages as the fastest-growing U.S. city for the second year in a row (during the 12 months ended July 2014)

Maybe there is something I don't understand about a CDP?

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Walter123

Pretty sure you're wrong unless I'm missing something.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Villages,_Florida

The US Census ranked The Villages as the fastest-growing U.S. city for the second year in a row (during the 12 months ended July 2014)

Maybe there is something I don't understand about a CDP?

I don't think a CDD's structure allows for its own police force.

And if TV is a city, why is there no mayor? I agree with Carl that it isn't a city.

[Walter123]

Originally Posted by CFrance

I don't think a CDD's structure allows for its own police force.

And if TV is a city, why is there no mayor? I agree with Carl that it isn't a city.

Everything I read says that TV is a city but it's 2 to 1 so I guess I'm wrong. I concede.

[Polar Bear]

Good call Walter.

TV is bigger than many cities, and has many of the same characteristics of a city. But it is technically a CDD, a specific development designation somewhat similar to a city, but different in some very important ways.

[BobnBev]

Originally Posted by Shimpy

Are you saying pay them on commission?

Where in the world did that come from? They would be paid from the sheriff's budget.

[rubicon]

This thread with few exception illustrates how little some resident understand the government model etc of The Villages. The community district model clearly speaks out to the fact that it was organized with no policing powers. This model has worked well. Crime has remained at a low ebb thanks to the Sheriffs Dept, Lady Lake Police, State Troopers and the watchful eye of Community Watch.

The demands made by some residents on these pages convince me that TVLSI (Developer) may be better at the management of this community because there are a number of residents that keep trying to fix something that "ain't" broke. They keeping inviting regulations that are unnecessary and will interfere with our way of life. And last but not least many of their suggestions seem to be made without the thought of the economic consequences.

Perhaps we all would be better off if we kick around our thoughts with our neighbors and consider their responses before we post here. Because those 3:00 o'clock in the morning ideas often lead to the road of "I should have had a V8".

Personal Best Regards:

[Challenger]

Originally Posted by rubicon

This thread with few exception illustrates how little some resident understand the government model etc of The Villages. The community district model clearly speaks out to the fact that it was organized with no policing powers. This model has worked well. Crime has remained at a low ebb thanks to the Sheriffs Dept, Lady Lake Police, State Troopers and the watchful eye of Community Watch.

The demands made by some residents on these pages convince me that TVLSI (Developer) may be better at the management of this community because there are a number of residents that keep trying to fix something that "ain't" broke. They keeping inviting regulations that are unnecessary and will interfere with our way of life. And last but not least many of their suggestions seem to be made without the thought of the economic consequences.

Perhaps we all would be better off if we kick around our thoughts with our neighbors and consider their responses before we post here. Because those 3:00 o'clock in the morning ideas often lead to the road of "I should have had a V8".

Personal Best Regards:

Ditto

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by Challenger

Ditto

I like V-8