Sheriff Scott lent city police cruisers
The City of Sanibel took possession of four Lee County Sheriff cruisers to temporarily replace the cruisers damaged during the Nov. 20, shooting of a Sanibel police officer and subsequent shootout.
“We want to be certain our residents are aware that Sanibel police officers will be temporarily working from cruisers dressed with the markings of the Sheriff’s office,” City of Sanibel Chief of Police Jamie Phillips said.
Three of the city’s five marked vehicles were damaged on Nov. 20.
The vehicle in which Officer Jarred Ciccone was shot while pulled over on the roadside writing a ticket on Periwinkle Way was heavily damaged by gunfire. An additional cruiser was heavily damaged by gunfire when the suspect opened fire on a second Sanibel police officer. A third marked cruiser received less damage from the gunfire. All three cruisers have been impounded as evidence by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).
“The level of assistance we have received from Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott cannot be measured,” Phillips said, while inspecting the loaned vehicles.
Sanibel Mayor Kevin Ruane added, “Our cooperation and support with Sheriff Mike Scott has always been excellent. However, his personal commitment and the level of response of Sheriff Mike Scott on Sunday, and every day since, is more than phenomenal. The immediate and full force mobilization of Sheriff Scott’s resources Sunday night made the quick apprehension of the suspect possible.”
All four cruisers that have been loaned to the City of Sanibel from Lee County are high mileage vehicles slated for trade-in. One of the borrowed cruisers is a 2009 model Ford Crown Victoria and the other three are 2010 model Ford Crown Victoria.
“We have expedited acquisition of replacement cruisers with the emergency purchase of three new cruisers including computers and camera systems that are standard in today’s marked vehicles,” Sanibel City Manager Judie Zimomra stated. “We maintain a lean fleet of five cruisers. The reason the City of Sanibel executes Mutual Aid agreements are for the type of extraordinary circumstances and situations we are currently experiencing. We all appreciate our excellent partnership with Sheriff Scott.”