Jacksonville lays off 48+ LEOS

Our sheriff is doing all he can, we have not received a raise in 10 years, we have not received our step increases and the county commissioners are not giving up anything, they actually cut our pay (more than once). Our Sheriff has saved our take home vehicles and has found money to supplement our pay cuts. Thank God we have not lost any officers. These county and city leaders won't take anything awayy from themselves but will cut everything from everyone else. I am so sick of these "entitled" idiots playing with everyones lives. Wait until they are victims of violent crime and they will see the time to cut police is not during economic hard times.

Most states and city police departments are being cut because unions do not want to work and help out there members keep their jobs. It's sad that unions do not want to work out a solution with their local government agency and Officers continue to be layed off. How about the unions taking a cut themselves lowing their dues and coming up with a solution that everyone could work with instead of not wanting to work with city and state government agency. Cutting Fire and Police personnel does not make sense but with out the unions not wanting to help this problem is only going to get worse. GOD BLESS.

Sad and horrible. They should not be cutting police officers and firefighters. It is hard to find a job anywhere these days because of the way the economy is. I don't think things are going to get any better until we get that idiot out of the White House.

A sin and a shame!

It's happening here in Georgia as well! Due to cutbacks and budget we have lost about 50 Deputies. More are planning on leaving! it's tuff everywhere. Im blessed to have my job..

We tried to get a 1/4 of a cent sales tax hike where the money generated would be specifically used for the police department. Voters couldn't spare the 1/4 of a cent. We now have the same number of officers we had 20 years ago with double the population. It's bad all over.

The Sheriff has stated that he is working to find some money and will hire these guys back as soon as possible if they are still available when the time comes.
Jacksonville is a very dangerous city with many, many murders with a very high per capita murder, assault, shooting rate. One of the highest in the nation.
Magee**, that is a great idea and way to keep the First Responders employed but as you pointed out, they need to make sure this money goes to them and they do not use it to cut further funding and just use that extra tax to make up for further cuts. This is what Fl has done with the school taxes and the Lotto. The Lotto has raised billions and billions of $ but the general funding for schools has decreased so schools are still not getting enough funding because they are so top heavy in admin and those who do not actually teach.

Florida is a big state, so I am hopeful these officers can find employment. However ( like others have said ), this shouldn't have happened in the first place.