Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd is requesting funding to hire 16 new deputies, most of whom, if not all, would be assigned to the northeast area of the county.

Polk government officials are preparing proposed budgets for the 2007-08 fiscal year, which commissioners will vote on.

Judd's proposed budget totals $128.9 million, an increase of almost 5 percent from the current fiscal year. In addition to the request for new deputy positions, the Sheriff's Office wants to create three bailiff positions and 10 part-time school crossing guards.

Amy L. Edwards and Mark Pino of the Sentinel staff contributed to this report.

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