hcso in ybor
tommyEditor’s Note: I’m an idiot. This issue was before the city council on Thursday, and I didn’t get it written up until then. In fact, they probably already voted. How on earth will I ever get our elected leaders to look to Sticks of Fire for advice, when I don’t give it to them in a timely manner?
The Tampa Tribune says the city should allow the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office to close a street adjacent to the sheriff’s headquarters, and wall it in as part of the HCSO compound in Ybor City.
20th St. between 8th and 9th Avenues (satellite map) has had Bob’s Barricades in the way since September of 2001. Sheriff Gee now wants to put up a more permanent obstacle in order to make his command center more secure, and the Trib Editorial Board defends him, saying security is more important than residents’ opinions.
The Barrio Latino Commission opposes the plan, because it would damage the “historic grid system” of the Latin Quarter. Which is a lame excuse. But the people who live there don’t like it either.
Resident Manny Leto says the compound doesn’t do Ybor City any good:
…the sheriff’s office provides little benefit to the historic district. The sheriff has no jurisdiction in Ybor; policing the area is the responsibility of the Tampa Police Department. The sheriff (and other county facilities) does not contribute property taxes to Ybor’s CRA fund, and the building itself is a daunting fortress in the middle of a mixed-use, tourist-friendly, historic neighborhood.
What’s more, every time local reporters cover county-related arrests, they report “live from Ybor City,” reinforcing the perception that Ybor is full of criminals.
I’ve never seen sheriffs patrolling Ybor City - in fact, they laugh at TPD for the undesirable duty.
The Historic Ybor Neighborhood Civic Association opposes the plan, and has also complained about TV coverage “live from Ybor City” for crimes that happen out in Wimauma.
Besides playing the DEPT. OF HOMELAND SECURITY card (you are supposed to think: “OMG - TERRORISTS!!”), the Tribune editorial board had to scrape the bottom of the barrel for any other excuse.
For instance, Ybor owes ‘em one.
“construction of the sheriff’s headquarters in Ybor City [came] during the 1970s, when the historic district was desolate and crime-ridden, contributed greatly to its revival.”
They went back 30 years?!?!! What have they done for Ybor lately (besides the bad publicity)?
“the sheriff’s office continues to be a good Ybor citizen, allowing… visitors to the Ybor City Museum to use county property for parking.”
How freakin’ generous. That museum racks up MILLIONS of visitors, I’m sure. But then the Tribsters also suggests the changes are temporary:
“Gee says the brick roadway will not be disturbed and would be returned intact to the city should the headquarters ever be moved…”
Not just to publish a horrible pun, but…
Gee, do ya really think that will happen?
This is a land grab, pure and simple. And make no mistake, it would never be reversed. Once the gate / fence / wall is up, the entire thing will belong to the Sheriff’s Office.
There is no reason for a compound in Ybor City. The county still has plenty of room out on Falkenburg Road.
Besides, Ybor could use the space to add another eighteen and up bar or two.
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February 7th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
i dont get it… what was the pun
February 7th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Dude’s name was “Gee”
February 7th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
Here’s something to think about, ‘tho it would require amending the state constitution to make Tampa (and all Florida cities) independent of their counties. Let them run their own show and give them annexation rights. Here, deprived of Tampa bashing, maybe the BOCC could find time to take care of county business. The sheriff could move out to bigger & better quarters in the County. Sen. Storms shouldn’t object, since she can still bash Tampa from the State level, perhaps even more effectively. I really get tired of all the helpful ideas the BOCC comes up with. Get outta town!
February 7th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
correction: The Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office has juristiction over the whole county. However, it does not actually patrol the city limits of the three inncorperated cities of Temple Terrace, Plant City, and Tampa. If a HCSO Deputy witnesses someone commit a crime withine any of these cities, he/she does have the authority to arrest.