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Published on Thursday, April 15, 2004
in the WFTV.com
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- It's one of the biggest beach events of the year, drawing tens of thousands of people to Central Florida and hundreds of cops. But, Channel 9 has learned, this year there will be fewer men and women patrolling the streets during Black College Reunion.
The reunion starts Friday, April 16 and, already, hundreds of law enforcement officers are in Daytona Beach. There's always a huge police presence, but this year there won't be as many.
Bringing all those officers in is expensive and BCR just isn't the event it used to be in years past. In previous years, BCR could get downright dangerous. Back then, hundreds of extra sheriffs deputies would come in from all over the state to help out.
Things are much more peaceful now. So, the Sheriff's Association will not send nearly as many deputies. Besides, a well-trained officer is expensive.
So, the Highway Patrol is going to pick up the slack.
"What we did was increase out volunteer troopers. They are non-paid," explains Col. Christopher Knight, Florida Highway Patrol.
Seventy-six auxiliary troopers will have their names called among 259 full-time personnel. After getting their orders, it's time to hit the street. At BCR, that's a dangerous proposition.
"When you're standing out in the street and people don't stop when you want them to stop," explains Maj. Anthony Sarhan, FHP Auxilary.
Sarhan has been volunteering for BCR duty for four years. He knows it's a dangerous job to work for free. But he wouldn't have it any other way.
"I enjoy helping people. I enjoy helping the patrol," he says.
As for the sheriff's department, they will have the same number of deputies on the street this weekend. All of them, even the sheriff, has pulled weekend duty.
In the three days of BCR, state troopers will work more than 2500 hours of overtime. That works out to about $75,000 in overtime pay. In all, they'll patrol 100,000 miles.