Sheriff's Office seeks contract for probation and parole services | Crime

Pasco County, Florida -- The Pasco County Sheriff's Office says the state information and parole system is broken and needs to be fixed.

During a news conference this afternoon, Nocco proposed Pasco become the first county in the state to handle it's own felony probation and parole cases.

"There is a better way to protect the citizens and provide opportunities for reform," said Sheriff Nocco. "That is why I am seeking to contract for the probation and parole services for Pasco County in a partnership with the Department of Corrections."

Sheriff Nocco highlighted several concerns as to why he wants to take over the DOC program: 

• DOC's policies place citizens at risk
• DOC's policy not to apprehend felons 
• PSO increasingly doing more traditional probation and parole duties from DOC
• Increasing numbers of sex offenders while DOC decreases supervision

Currently, the Pasco Sheriff's Office has working agreements with the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Children and Families providing child protection investigative services for the state. 

Sheriff Nocco says he would like to immediately work with the DOC to create a proposal to the legislature that would develop a pilot project for Pasco County.