News from Your Sheriff

Well it has already been three weeks since I took office and things are rolling along.  My Undersheriff and I have been working long days to keep up with all of the changes we are making.  We had an entire department meeting on January 9th in the Circuit Courtroom.  This is the first time the entire department has met together in several years.  Employees were honored at this meeting in different areas of the Sheriff’s Department, including Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, Corrections Officer of the Year, Court Security Officer of the Year, and Clerk of the Year.  We also honored those employees who are veterans of the Iraqi Freedom Campaign.

We started the first of the month doing a little house cleaning.  Those who have individual offices are in the process or have completed painting them.  Everyone has chipped in to help clean and paint at the Department.  Most offices have been re-arranged with desks and file cabinets being moved around.  We have exchanged office furniture with offices from the courthouse to save money.

We would like to thank the 911 Administrator, Keith Yats for helping things move along smoothly.  We share the same building that houses your 911 Center.  Keith has gone out of his way to help out with computer issues, dry wall, and painting.  Keith was instrumental in the completion of a wall that had been built in the new 911 Center and was never completed until now.  We are utilizing this conference center on a daily basis now and have held two different training sessions since the first of the year in that conference room.

Our Law Enforcement Officers will be going to twelve-hour shifts.  They currently work ten-hour shifts.  This should help in providing better, equal coverage for the entire county.  Once the change to twelve-hour shifts is completed, we will start holding roll call at the beginning of every shift.  This time will be used to exchange information between the officers from the prior shifts, and to train officers in different areas of law enforcement.

We are moving along with plans for the future and will keep you, the public, up to date on these changes and any current law changes that affect you.

My door is always open, GOD bless

Your Sheriff,

John S. Wilson