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BOOK 91 PAGE 58-1 <br />drug dealers. He supported the Sheriff's request and asked the <br />Commissioners to consider it a request for the entire County. He <br />realized that Indian River County is a beautiful place, but these <br />three areas could cause a bad reflection on the whole county. <br />Freddie Woolfork, 3425 49th Street, agreed with the comments <br />made by Bill Koolage. The problems of uneducated 'youth, <br />joblessness, single parent homes and teenage mothers result in kids <br />selling drugs and other crime. Sheriff Wheeler is using a bandage <br />which is not large enough to cover the wound, but it will slow up <br />the bleeding. Mr. Woolfork confirmed Mr. Hart's contention that <br />the problem is not only in Gifford, Oslo and Wabasso but throughout <br />the County, and this is a worthwhile project to begin to eliminate <br />some of the problems. <br />Reverend Henry Holmes, from the Indian River Ministerial <br />Alliance, spoke in support of Sheriff Wheeler's request because the <br />Sheriff is building a bridge between the community and the police. <br />The Sheriff works with the School Board and the community. The <br />three individuals in the COPE program are doing a wonderful job and <br />present role models for young black men. It is more cost effective <br />to take young men who are breaking into homes and steer them in the <br />right direction than to pay $19,000 a year to incarcerate a <br />criminal. <br />The Chairman determined that no one else from the audience <br />wished to be heard. <br />Commissioner Macht realized that this is a wonderful program <br />but questioned where the money would come from. <br />Discussion ensued regarding the amounts needed in each year of <br />the program, and the balances in the General Fund and MSTU <br />contingency funds. <br />Commissioner Adams preferred to see the COPE program work with <br />existing personnel. She suggested taking someone from road patrol <br />who also could respond to emergency situations when necessary. She <br />pointed out that the greater expense for the first year is due to <br />equipment and vehicles. <br />Sheriff Wheeler pointed out that the school resource officers <br />and COPE personnel are funded by the Sheriff's budget. The <br />Sheriff's first duty is to patrol the community, and every time a <br />deputy is needed elsewhere, that deputy is taken from road patrol. <br />They have recently been given the responsibility of investigating <br />criminal activity with juveniles and have had an increase from one <br />to three officers for that duty. He pointed out that they have <br />added road patrols to the South Beach area which did not exist <br />22 <br />