Bonita approves lease agreement for sheriff's officers

The community-specific police officers in Bonita Springs are one step closer to having their own station in the city.

The City Council today approved a lease agreement with Lee County to house the community officers from the Sheriff's Office in a building at 10520 Reynolds St. next to the community hall on Old 41.

The substation will be manned 24/7 by a clerk as the officers will be out patrolling. The building still needs to be upgraded for it to be used as a police facility.

Bonita Springs does not have its own police department and uses the policing from the Lee County Sheriff's Office. In addition to the normal patrols, the city contracts with the county to provide sheriff's officers specific to the community.

There will eventually be 16 officers specific to Bonita Springs. They can be spotted by the markings on their cruisers, which carry Bonita Springs decals in addition to the normal Sheriff's Office markings.

In other news, the council was advised it has two openings on its Arts in Public Places advisory board. Two members left because they no longer have ties to Bonita Springs. Since three new members came on following the March 7 election, the council has made greater efforts to get more applicants for its advisory boards.