SARASOTA COUNTY SHERIFF TOM KNIGHT SAYS HIS DEPARTMENT LACKS ROOM, WHICH IS WASTING VALUABLE RESOURCES AND TAXPAYERS DOLLARS. PUBLISHED REPORTS SAY KNIGHT NEEDS TO CONSOLIDATE SOON AND WANTS LOCAL LEADERS TO KNOW EXACTLY WHY. KNIGHT SAYS BOXES AND BAGS OF EVIDENCE ARE PILED UP TO THE CEILING IN THE DOWNTOWN SARASOTA EVIDENCE PROPERTY ROOM, AND IT’S SO BAD THEY HAVE A VACUUM OPERATING TO PULL UP THE AIR QUALITY AND REDUCE THE SMELL, CHEMICALS, AND MOLD. KNIGHT SAYS THERE ARE MORE THAN 800,000 PIECES OF EVIDENCE IN THE ROOM, AND FORENSICS HAS BEEN RELOCATED OFF SITE. THAT COULD HINDER THEIR EXPERTS WHEN INVESTIGATING MURDERS AND OTHER HIGH PROFILE CRIMES THAT USE DNA AND BLOOD AS EVIDENCE. KNIGHT SAYS THEY ARE LEASING TWENTY LOCATIONS AT A COST OF MORE THAN $300,000 A YEAR. KNIGHT SAYS HE HOPES THERE IS ROOM FOR THEM AT THE NEW EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER WHICH IS TO BE BUILT ON PUBLICLY OWNED PROPERTY ON CATTLEMAN ROAD.
