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Highlands Today

Charging To Work Accident Scenes Not A Good Plan

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Highlands Today Staff

Published: March 5, 2008

Local governments are in a tough spot these days. Tax money is going away through voter mandates, but that won't do anything to stop calls from citizens when services start going away. Public entities of all kinds are looking at ways to shore up funding, and Lake Placid Police are considering charging accident victims for the time police spend investigating accident scenes. Let's hope that idea goes away.

Police Chief Phil Williams is searching for ways to help fund his department, and has learned of other Florida communities who charge accident victims for police response called "cost recovery." A proposed cost would be about $150 per accident.

Few public entities have faced more challenges than the Lake Placid Police Department. It seems like someone is bound and determined to shut them down to save tax money. Citizens came to their rescue a while back when that was suggested. Since then, though, they are battling a war of attrition. Officers leave but positions are not filled. It makes sense that Williams would search for ways to increase revenue for his department and we don't blame him for that.

We believe working accidents is part of the routine duties of a police department. Added fees shouldn't be incurred for accidents, speeding tickets or any other typical function. That's what our taxes pay – or at least should.

Williams is only considering this, along with anything else that might help his department, so it's not like this is a proposal that's already been decided. We just hope this idea is dropped. Traffic cameras at intersections to catch red-light runners makes more sense and seems fairer. But charging for working an accident scene? It doesn't seem right.

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