Recently denied a budget increase to pay for additional staff and salary increases, Hernando's Sheriff is getting creative with assignments, particularly in regards to the county's sex offender and predator tracking unit.
- About 100 more sex offenders in county since 2010
- 416 sex offenders in Hernando currently, says Sheriff Al Neinhuis
- Sheriff's Office appealing denial of budget increase
Hernando County has seen an increase of about 100 sex offenders since 2010. Officials said it's mostly because they are able to catch more people with technology.
The sheriff's office currently only has one detective working to keep track of the hundreds of registered sex offenders and sexual predators in the county -- Detective Tom Breedlove.
“With 416 [sex offenders and predators] in our county right now, it's a full time job for any one person," said Breedlove. “You go home every night and you wonder if you gotten everybody, if you've got everybody up to date, if somebody is out there doing something they're not supposed to be doing or something you should have caught."
With over 400 sex offenders to check on, Hernando Sheriff Al Neinhuis assigned Marine Unit Corporal Stephen Kelly to assist in the sheriff's office's efforts. Kelly now goes home to home, making the rounds ensuring each sex offender is registered every 90 days.
“This is something that needs to be done every day, every single day because I’ll clear the list today and tomorrow the list is up again, it's brand new," said Kelly.
Part of the job includes ensuring there are no re-offenders.
“There's going to be all different people checking you out," said Kelly, speaking to a sex offender he was checking on. "It might be a road deputy coming to check you, it might be the detective that's in charge of this, it might be me."
The sheriff's office is appealing the county's decision to deny their budget increase request.