Law Offices of Russo Pelletier & Sullivan

St. Petersburg Police Likely to Increase DUI Enforcement by Hiring Ten New Officers

The number of arrests for DUI in St. Petersburg, Pinellas Park and St. Pete Beach has significantly dropped since the economic crisis crippled city spending. As previous public records review by Russo & Russo resulted in a finding that Pinellas County DUI Arrests were down by 50%. Budget cuts in the St. Petersburg / Clearwater area resulted in the lay-off of numerous police officers and Sheriff Deputies. In turn, the personnel changes forced the elimination of special traffic enforcement officers and DUI squads who were previously focused on the detection and arrest of impaired drivers.

All that is about to change with the receipt of stimulus money earmarked for the purpose of hiring new law enforcement officers and rehiring others who previously lost their jobs. The injection of money into various city coffers is sizable and represents the following grants:

St. Petersburg Police: $2,053,740.00
Pinellas Park Police:   $1,000,410.00
St. Pete Beach Police: $232,872.00

Given the new federal financial backing, you can count on the re-emergence of stepped-up traffic enforcement, the deployment of specialized DUI enforcement squads and DUI Check Points. The grants support the salaries for the next three years and requires each city to keep the newly formed positions for at least one additional year at their own expense. Economic recovery is of course anticipated by the time the tab shifts to the taxpayers.  The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office declined to accept any of the grant money for fear that the economy might not turn around and they would thereafter have difficulty continuing to finance the new hires.

Most of the money will be spent on entry-level officers who have just recently received law enforcement instruction and certification. Police academies arm these new recruits with training on detecting drunk drivers. However, DUI cases can present a host of complexities and challenge a rookie police officers who will at times make costly mistakes.

If you are charged with a DUI in St. Petersburg, Pinellas Park, or St. Pete Beach you need a lawyer well familiar with representing clients charged with criminal offenses in Pinellas County. Our DUI Defense Credentials are extensive. At a free consultation, we can evaluate your case and tell you if you are a good candidate to have your charge reduced to the lesser offense of reckless driving. We can also discuss with you the steps we can take to get your Florida Driving Privilege Reinstated or to get a Hardship License. 

Another Valuable DUI Link:

Common DUI Penalties Imposed in Pinellas County

The Law Offices of Russo & Russo
Former State Prosecutors
877 Executive Center Drive West
Suite #112
St. Petersburg, FL 33702

Click here: To visit our comprehensive DUI Website page for quick answers to many of your important questions.

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The Sealing & Expungement of Pinellas County Criminal Records

A criminal record can be a significant obstacle to pursuing your life’s ambitions. Opportunities for education and employment can often hinge on the results of a criminal background check. As we previously explained in “Seal or Expunge Your Pinellas County Criminal Record & Land that New Job,” criminal records in Pinellas County are “public records,” easily accessed through the Pinellas County Clerk of Court or the Consolidated Justice Information Center.

In order to prevent your arrest record from being easily discovered and accessed, it is well worth the effort to have an attorney investigate your eligibility to have your criminal records sealed or expunged in accordance with Florida Statute section 943.0585. Your eligibility will be based a variety of factors, including;

• The nature of the criminal offense (A few offenses are prohibited by statute from sealing or expungement)
• Whether you were convicted of the offense or received a “no information” “withholding of adjudication,” “dismissal” or “acquittal” of the charge
• Whether you have previously had a sealing or expungement

Little known Facts Concerning Florida Sealing & Expungement

• If you were unfairly arrested, but never convicted of a crime, your criminal history record will nevertheless still reflect your arrest. Only a sealing or expungement can correct this inequity;
  
• Only a limited category of “juvenile” records are subject to an abbreviated retention period and benefit from an “automatic” expungement in Florida;
  
• Although a previous sealing or expungement from another statue could render you ineligible for the same remedy in Florida, if that prior action took place through the operation of law (i.e. not petitioned for but automatically granted by the Court), it will not effect your eligibility for a second sealing or expungement in Florida;
  
• While Florida Statute section 943.0585 provides that a Court may expunge records pertaining to “one arrest or one incident of alleged criminal activity,” we can argue that even though your charges arose out of separate criminal acts on different days, they all stem from only one arrest. See: Oymayan v. State, 765 So.2d 812 (Fla.1st DCA 2000);
  
• If you received a full pardon or restoration of your civil rights, your records continue to remain accessible to the public. All criminal records are “public records” unless sealed or expunged;
  
• An "early termination of your probation" does not result in the sealing or expungement of your criminal records;
  
• The courts have ruled that it is an “abuse of judicial discretion” for a judge to deny an applicant a sealing or expungement where he otherwise meets the criteria. See Johnson v. State, 336 So. 2d 93 (Fla. 1976)

Our law firm has considerable experience in securing record sealing and expungements for misdemeanor and felony criminal cases that arose out of St. Petersburg, Clearwater and other areas of Pinellas County. 

We can discuss your eligibility right over the phone.

Click Here: For more information on the sealing and expungement of your arrest records

The Law Offices of Russo & Russo
Former State Prosecutors
877 Executive Center Drive West
Suite #112
St. Petersburg, FL 33702

Visit our comprehensive Web site at: www.defensehelp.com

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