Gas prices take toll on Florence sheriff's office

By: SCNow Staff | SCNow
Published: July 18, 2008

While consumers continue to feel pain at the pump, many local organizations say they, too, are being affected.

Florence County Sheriff Kenney Boone says his agency budgets around $10,500 a week for fuel.

Right now, that bill is running closer to $14,000 a week.

Boone says the agency covers more than 800 geographical miles, which makes it difficult for them to implement many gas-saving measures like foot patrols and mopeds.

Instead, Boone says the department is doing things like turning off cars at least ten minutes every hour and making cuts, like salary savings, within the office.

“Public works, they can put off digging a ditch for a month or something, but when people call for law enforcement or sheriff’s office, they want to see the deputy. They need the deputy, they want law enforcement, and public safety is one of our top priorities and the public’s top priority,” said Boone.

Boone added that most deputies take a personal interest in saving gas because they realize that when there are budgetary problems, it could affect things like merit and cost of living raises.