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Police say evidence storage is urgent; council debates bonding and priorities
Summary
Tampa police described current evidence storage as inadequate and requested a new facility; council members split on whether to bond $40 million now or pursue smaller, staged spending and use alternative funding sources such as the forthcoming Community Investment Tax (CIT) renewal.
Tampa Police Department leaders told the council that existing evidence storage is inadequate and that a new, modern evidence facility is needed. Chief Lee Birkoff told the council the department ‘‘needs this’’ and described the current condition as a “must” rather than a discretionary upgrade. Council members expressed concern about issuing additional bonded debt given the city’s overall borrowing plans and asked the department to show what could be achieved with smaller, staged funding.
Chief Birkoff said the police department…
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