Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells Addresses Del Webb Residents

Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells was guest speaker at the April 10, 2018 monthly meeting of the Del Webb Lakewood Ranch Association of Veterans and Military Supporters.

Sheriff Wells’ presentation highlighted the following points:

• The Sheriff’s office has 1,250 employees, which include 511 sworn deputies. The department currently has 40 open deputy positions.
• He is responsible for all law enforcement in Manatee County. Currently the jail houses an average of 1,000 prisoners with a capacity for 1,800.
• The department responds to over 330,000 calls per year, with an average of 994 calls per day.
• The department currently serves over 282,00 residents in Manatee County. With open positions, it’s becoming more and more challenging to meet the needs of a growing community.
• Crime was down 7.2% in 2017.
• The Sheriff is also responsible for Child Welfare Services in the County.
• Drug addiction continues to be the biggest community issue facing the department. This is primarily because there are minimal treatment services for addicts seeking assistance. Rick has opened two treatment bays within the jail for individuals qualifying for assistance.
• Rick mentioned it’s very important to report suspicious behavior. Nowadays individuals are not reporting crime as often as in the past.
• The best way to prevent being a victim of crime is to be aware of your surroundings, be vigilant, and watch out for each other in your community.
• If anyone has questions regarding programs and services offered by the Sheriff’s office, feel free to call the Crime Prevention line at 941-747-3011, extension 2500 for assistance.

Rick answered numerous questions from the audience during the Q and A time.