Pill Mill Epidemic Driving Need to Boost Sheriff's Staff

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco’s budget calls for spending about $3 million less than the current year, but it does call for adding 23 new positions at a cost of about $1.6 million.

On Tuesday, Nocco told county commissioners the extra detectives, crime analysts and jail medical workers are needed to fight the war against crimes related to prescription medications.

Pill mills that spew prescriptions, widespread addiction to the medications such as Oxycodone and crime sprees of addicts seeking money for the next dose are behind the need for more personnel, he said.

“We’re in a war with prescription pills,” Nocco told commissioners during a workshop session.

Nocco’s proposed budget of $83.37 million for the 2011-12 fiscal year is 3.5 percent below the current spending plan, though the reduction mainly comes from public employees paying 3 percent toward their retirement that had been picked up by the county.

Commissioners didn’t vote on the sheriff’s budget during the workshop, but they will discuss the proposal in more detail at their meeting next week.

Nocco pointed to statistics showing the county was among the state’s leaders in deaths from prescription narcotics in 2010.

The sheriff is asking for 10 new vice and narcotics detectives and two sergeants to supervise the new detectives to reinforce the department vice squad that is being buried by investigating the pill mills and organized gangs buying and selling the potent pills.

Cases dealing with prescription narcotics made up 60 percent of the vice squad’s cases, he said.

In addition to the vice detectives, Nocco wants three new crime analysts to augment what he calls “intelligence-led policing” that uses information and trends to help deploy deputies and investigators.

The sheriff’s office already has three analysts who look for patterns to help detectives predict where criminals may strike next.

Again, much of their work comes from crimes committed by addicts looking for money to buy more pills. The prescription crime waves include home invasions and killings.

“Every homicide we deal with seems somehow connected with prescription pills,” Nocco said.

His request got a boost from State Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, who urged commissioners to grant the sheriff’s request.

Fasano said it was the first time in 17 years he spoke at a commission budget workshop but said pill mills that churn out prescriptions for narcotics are local and statewide problems.

“It’s affecting all our constituents,” he said.

The flood of people addicted to the narcotics also strains jail resources as more people who are arrested need detox treatment, Nocco said.

Of the 55 beds in the jail medical unit, about 35 are typically filled with people needing some form of detox treatment. Of 58 inmates brought to the emergency room from April through June, 35 were because of addictions.

His proposed budget calls for adding six more licensed practical nurses and two certified nursing assistants to the jail staff. The budget also calls for converting space at the jail to expand the medical center by 16 more beds.

Though the state Legislature is taking steps to crack down on pill mills, Pasco County is home to 40 registered pain clinics.

The county’s budget that starts Oct. 1 stands to save about $5.6 million from the Legislature’s order that employees contribute 3 percent of their pay to retirement.

But Commissioner Ted Schrader worried that the savings could be erased the following year if lawmakers change their minds.