(a) In Escambia County, a booking fee in the amount of thirty dollars ($30) shall be assessed against and collected from each person booked or incarcerated into the Escambia County Detention Center and subsequently convicted. The fee assessed pursuant to this section shall be in addition to any fines, court costs, or other charges imposed.
(b) The booking fee imposed by this section shall be assessed against a defendant upon conviction by a court of law where the defendant is convicted. The clerk of the court shall enter the amount of the fee as provided in this section on the docket sheet and shall collect the fee in the same manner and the same time as court costs. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the fee shall not be deemed a court cost based on collection by the clerk.
(c) The revenues derived from the booking fee shall be distributed to the Escambia County Sheriff's Law Enforcement Fund to be used by the Sheriff of Escambia County for salaries, training, operational expenses, or other law enforcement uses as determined by the sheriff to best meet the needs of his or her office.
(d) In any case where the booking fee provided by this section is not paid, the district attorney of the county may assist in the collection of the fee in the same manner as court-ordered monies. In addition, the sheriff may contract for the collection of the fee and pay a portion of the fee as a cost for collection.
(e) The sheriff may withhold funds equal to the amount of the booking fee from any funds held while a person is incarcerated in the Escambia County Detention Center and those funds may be applied toward any assessment of a booking fee pursuant to this section. Any funds withheld shall be repaid to the defendant if no conviction results after dismissal of all charges or acquittal.
(f) Any revenues derived from this section shall be in addition to other funding sources for the Escambia County Detention Center and the Escambia County Sheriff's Department and shall not reduce or replace any funding from any other sources.
Last modified: May 3, 2021