Marco Island considers Collier County Sheriff's Office taking over law enforcement services

Marco Island city leaders are exploring what it could cost to have the Collier County Sheriff’s Office provide law enforcement services on the island instead of the Marco Island Police Department.

During Monday night’s city council meeting, council voted 4-3 to direct the city manager to reach out to see how much it would cost.

Councilmember Bonita Schwan, who introduced the request, said the discussion is being driven by growing budget concerns.

“We are in a crunch for revenue,” Schwan said during the meeting. “We have to find ways to save money.”

Schwan pointed to concerns about possible property tax changes being discussed in Tallahassee, which could reduce local government revenue if voters approve a higher homestead exemption in November.

She repeatedly stressed the request was “for informational purposes only” and said no immediate changes are being proposed.

Not all councilmembers supported the idea.

Chairman Darrin Palumbo said he worried even discussing the possibility sends the wrong message to officers.

“I think it sends a horrible message to our police force that we'd actually consider going back to Collier County,” Palumbo said during the meeting.

Marco Island was primarily served by CCSO until the city created its own police department in the late 1990s.

On Tuesday, several residents told Gulf Coast News they do not want to see the city police department go.

“I think they do an excellent job here on the island,” said resident Darin Ketner. “Any time, if you have any issues, they're immediately right there.”

Others said they value having a department dedicated specifically to Marco Island.

"I know the police here [...] I think one of the benefits of having them here is if something happens, they're here," said resident Robert Dugan. "People want them here. I'm one of the people. I want them here."

CCSO already maintains a substation on Marco Island, which is currently being rebuilt.

Marco Island City Manager Casey Lucius confirmed to Gulf Coast News that she has now reached out to CCSO following Monday’s vote.

“What prompted this request is city budget constraints,” Lucius said in a statement.

Lucius also said she told Marco Island police officers “their jobs are not at risk” and described the discussion as a “fact-finding mission” to determine whether the city could potentially save money.

CCSO also released a brief statement to Gulf Coast News, saying, “As the Marco Island City Council indicated, their request is to explore possibilities at this point.”

At this time, there is no formal proposal to dissolve the Marco Island Police Department or transfer policing services to CCSO.