St. Pete Beach Police Members Campaign to Institute the Sheriff

Outside the St. Pete Beach polling location at 7701 Boca Ciega Dr., employees of the St. Pete Beach Police were campaigning Tuesday about the charter referendum that would dissolve the police force and replace it with the Pinellas County Sheriff.

Molly Taft, the St. Pete Beach Police records supervisor, and she and other employees are out to encourage people to vote in the Sheriff's Office.

"We want people to know it's OK to vote us out," Taft said.

Taft and others think that the move to the Sheriff's Office would be best for St. Pete Beach, and for the current employees of St. Pete Beach Police.

Budget cuts have taken away the pensions of St. Pete Beach Police employees, and the move to the sheriff would give them all new positions at the Sheriff's Office, Taft said.

"It's a win-win situation," Taft said.