Sheriff's office asks City Council for more $$$
Sheriff's department wants the mayor to reconsidering cutting the department's budget by $1.5 million.
In his proposed budget, Mayor Nutter did not seek any additional funding for the Sheriff's department despite expanding responsibilities and stretched resources, Sheriff Jewell Williams told City Council during his budget presentation.
"We get downplayed because we don't get the manpower we deserved," Williams said. "We are stretched very thin."
Nutter proposed maintaining the Sheriff Department's budget at the same level. Williams asked Council for $4.1 million for 100 new deputies, a budget director, computer support person and one additional clerical position.
"We are in dire need of additional deputies. God forbid we have a major incident and don't have trained personnel," Williams said, pointing to the explosions in Boston that left at least three people dead and 140 others injured.
Williams expressed a need for more deputies to help staff courts opening up in the Widener building.
Meanwhile Council president Darrell Clarke raised concerns about public safety in City Hall and said he would like to revisit the issue, adding "This is probably one of the least protected buildings in the city of Philadelphia."