Florida sheriff donates police patrol cars to Alexander County

CAIRO, Ill. -- Alexander County Sheriff David Barkett may have lost 75 percent of his staff in the past year and a half, but at least the five remaining deputies will have something to drive, thanks to a sheriff in Florida.

Barkett's department received a donation this week of five patrol cruisers from St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara.

Mascara had learned of Alexander County's financial plight, which received national media attention last week when a local bank repossessed five of its patrol cars because the county defaulted on its loan payments.

"He said, 'Hey, I had hurricanes and sheriff's departments all over the country stepped up. Now it's my turn,'" Barkett said. "Thank God for that man."

The five Ford Interceptors had been on the auction block before Mascara decided to donate them to Alexander County, Barkett said. Mascara had the cars equipped with light bars, cages and other police gear before shipping them to Cairo, he said.

"I think some of the deputies even volunteered to wash the cars before they sent them up here," Barkett said.

Barkett recently lost seven part-time and four full-time employees to a round of layoffs and last year was forced to lay off four part-time deputies. The outpouring of moral support he's gotten from other law enforcement agencies around the nation has been overwhelming, Barkett said.

Making sure the rural county is protected has been a constant struggle and has resulted in Barkett pulling 18-hour shifts on certain days, he said.

"We're all worn out, physically," Barkett said. "This is not how it should be done, this is not how I'd like to be doing it, but it's what I've been mandated to do."

The Illinois State Police has been assisting the sheriff's department in patrolling the county, and deputies have been able to maintain good response to 911 calls, Barkett said.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

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