Police operation nabs 39 offenders

Sarasota Police Chief Bernadette DiPino on Thursday, June 27, announced the results of Operation Cracked Sidewalk, which yielded arrests of 39 suspected street-level drug dealers.

The Sarasota police Department Narcotics Unit with assistance from the Street Crimes Unit identified 39 suspects through undercover drug deals conducted since Jan. 30. The operation targeted the aspects of the drug market — low-level dealing and turf wars — that create the most violence in Sarasota, DiPino said.

Six of the suspects will face deferred prosecution, which will afford the offenders the chance to avoid being charged if they agree to specific terms. The option is part of the Police Department's drug market intervention plan aimed at returning non-violent criminals to society as law-abiding citizens.

"This is the first step in our strategy to keep Sarasota a safe community," DiPino said.