Crawford County Sheriff Scott Kent has released his office’s annual report for 2014. The report is an overview of the activities and workings of that office.
The report indicates that in 2014, 236 concealed carry weapon permits were issued, 160 permits were renewed, three were suspended, and two were denied. The Sheriff’s Office prepared nearly 130,000 meals for inmates during the year. There were more than 1,500 inmates booked-in to the County Justice Center and the Sheriff’s Office handled nearly 19,000 incidents.
The 2014 Annual Report in its entirety can be found below.
CRAWFORD COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
2014 ANNUAL REPORT
To the citizens of Crawford County:
Respectfully submitted for your review is the annual report for the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office for calendar year 2014. This report covers in detail the activity generated as we carried out our responsibility of serving the residents of this county.
Your Sheriff’s Office consists of three divisions: Enforcement which is comprised of Deputy Sheriffs, Detectives, and Dispatchers; a Jail Division; and a Civil Division. As you review this report, you will see that your office carries out several responsibilities, all with the same purpose in mind, to protect and serve the citizens of Crawford County.
Other information of interest for 2014 for your Sheriff’s Office includes the following:
• Our facility has several cameras which allow us maintain the security of the jail. These cameras were only being monitored and were not being recorded. This year, we added digital recorders so that the security cameras inside and outside are recorded 24 hours a day.
• Grants were applied for to assist in upgrading the many computers in the office. This is an ongoing process that will continue into 2015.
• A jail inspection was conducted on-site for 2013. Areas of concern were perimeter windows in the jail visitation area, as well as several other areas in the jail. The laminate layers showed stress cracks, and the jail inspectors wanted this corrected. We are replacing several windows a year by replacing those in maximum security areas first.
• Jail training was conducted with corrections staff, support staff, and maintenance, in compliance with jail standards.
• Fencing was placed around the men’s dorm, which keeps public from coming up to housing areas on the outside of the building and sliding contraband underneath doors.
• Several showers in the jail were repaired where block and tiles were broken. This will eliminate mold growth in the shower areas. This process started in 2013 and will be finished in early 2015.
• D.A.R.E. Officer Deputy Chris Martin was asked to provide the D.A.R.E. program to Bucyrus City Schools this year. With school being eliminated at Holy Trinity, we were able to meet this request. Deputy Martin is now in 8 different schools in Crawford County.
• Approximately $28,000 in grant money was granted to this office for 2014, to increase patrols in Crawford County. This High Visibility Enforcement Overtime is scheduled around holidays and school functions such as Prom and Homecoming. The goal is to provide safe travel for motorists traveling in Crawford County, to reduce alcohol / drug related crashes, and encourage seatbelt use.
• Single Officer Response to Active Shooter training was provided to all Deputies assigned to road patrol.
• The Sheriff’s Office participated in the Prescription Drug take back day once in 2014. We collected 69 pounds of expired or unwanted prescription pills that would later be turned over to the METRICH Office in Mansfield, for disposal. The Sheriff’s Office has a secure drop off box available 24 hours a day for anyone wanting to dispose of prescription pills. It is located in the lobby of the Sheriff’s Office.
As you can see, we have been busy this year. I am proud of this office’s history and proud to be your Sheriff. If you are out by the Sheriff’s Office, or see a deputy out on in the public, stop and introduce yourself. We are here to serve you, the citizens of Crawford County. Please review this annual report and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Respectfully Submitted,
Scott M. Kent
Sheriff
Enforcement Division Overview
The Sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer of the county. He is responsible for serving a landmass of approximately 402 square miles. This includes 862 miles of road, of which 182 miles are state highways, 238 miles of county roads and 443 miles of township roads. The road patrol is also responsible for traffic law enforcement in the county.
The Enforcement Division remains the most visible arm of the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office. The road patrol consists of Deputy Sheriff’s serving the county in a proactive approach to problem solving and community policing. The deputies work together with the citizens of this county to fight crime. These deputies are responsible for answering calls for service. These calls can include everything from serious felony crimes to assisting residents with minor problems at their home. The Enforcement Division investigates crimes, safeguards property, and responds to complaints and accidents. We also assist State and Federal agencies when requested. Deputies are responsible for the service of subpoenas, warrants, summons and other legal documents issued by the courts.
Deputies from this office have given talks to youth groups about safety issues, such as drugs, internet safety, seatbelt use, and driver safety. Tours of the facility have been given to the Cub Scouts, as well as other civic groups.
Deputies are responsible for reporting adverse road and weather conditions to dispatch, who in turn, notifies school officials, county and state garage employees, township trustees, and news media.
All Deputies assigned to the enforcement division are graduates of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA), and are certified Peace Officers by the State of Ohio. They must complete yearly state mandated training in a wide array of subjects to maintain their State certification. They stay updated on changes to criminal laws and traffic laws. These are well trained and professional Officers who serve the citizens of the county.
Major Chad Filliater is the Operations Officer at the Sheriff’s Office. He is responsible for day to day operations at the facility as well as scheduling.
K-9 Unit
The Sheriff’s Office has two K-9 handlers. Lt. Tim Mutchler and Deputy Jeff Windbigler both have bloodhounds. Both K-9’s and handlers are members of the National Police Bloodhound Association. Both Mutchler and Windbigler attend yearly training with the Association and their K-9’s receive an annual certification. Lt. Mutchler is also an instructor for the Association.
The Bloodhound and handler are made available not only to the Sheriff’s Office, but also to any agency requesting assistance. The K-9’s are used to search for missing adults and juveniles, and are frequently used to search for suspects who have fled a crime scene.
Both handlers give presentations at different events throughout the year to several different groups.
Fiscal / Civil Division
The Fiscal Division is responsible for payroll of the employees at the Sheriff’s Office. All vacation time, sick leave, overtime, and human resource functions is processed through this office. The Financial Director keeps track of the bills from all the divisions of this office as well as invoices for services. The Sheriff’s Office operates on two budgets. One budget funds the jail operations, and the other budget funds enforcement operations. In addition to budget activities, the financial director must also keep track of grants obtained by the Sheriff’s Office. The Financial Director and the Sheriff work closely with the Auditor’s Office and Commissioners, forecasting future needs of the Office in budget requests.
The Civil Division is responsible for the service and return of civil process paperwork received from the court system. These court papers not only come in from the courts in Crawford County, but from other courts across the United States. The Civil Division prepares the paperwork for service, then forwards the paperwork to the deputies, so that these processes can be served in a timely manner and returned to the courts. Improper service of these papers can directly affect the outcome of legal proceedings. The Civil Division is also responsible for Sheriff’s Sales of real estate, Sheriff’s Sales for delinquent taxes and summoning jurors. Sheriff Sales must be appraised advertised and sold according to the Ohio Revised Code.
Sex Offender Registry
The Sheriff’s Office has a SORN Officer, whose primary responsibility is protecting the citizens of the county from those who have been convicted of Sex Offenses. Once convicted, the sex offender must report to the Sheriff’s Office to be registered as a sex offender. The SORN Officer checks the offender’s address to make sure it is not close to schools, day care centers, or child care facilities. Community notifications are sent out to neighborhoods where the sex offender lives, and offender information is constantly updated on the Sheriff’s Office website.
The SORN Officer also makes home visits to confirm addresses and to make sure there is not any violations of law at these addresses. The Sheriff’s Office currently monitors 87 sex offenders in Crawford County. The SORN officer is also responsible for registering Offenders convicted of arson, and conducts web check fingerprinting.
Detective Division
The Detective Division consists three deputies, a sergeant and two detectives. The detectives investigate all high profile investigations, as well as follow-up on felony cases forwarded to them by the enforcement division. Detectives investigate crimes that include but are not limited to burglary, breaking and entering, theft, narcotics, homicide, sex crimes, computer crimes, identity theft, and crimes against children along with numerous others.
Detectives at the Sheriff’s Office are involved in investigations that reach beyond the borders of Crawford County. Detectives are assigned to METRICH, a 10-county decentralized drug task force. On numerous occasions, the detectives are called upon for assistance in conducting raids, undercover drug operations, surveillance, and investigating other types of crimes. The Crawford County Sheriff’s Office is the access point for all law enforcement agencies that belong to the METRICH drug task force in Crawford County. Being the access point for the county means that all METRICH money, METRICH equipment, and general information coming from the METRICH office in Mansfield, comes into the county through the Sheriff’s Office. This information is then distributed to all the other law enforcement agencies in the county. Sheriff Kent is the chairman of the METRICH control board.
During these investigations, several types of drugs have been removed from our county.
Seeing an increase in drug availability and a number of firearms being seized during drug investigations, Sheriff Kent, Galion and Bucyrus Police Chiefs, and the Crawford County Prosecutor formed a Special Response Team (S.R.T.) to combat the drug issues in the county, as well as the firearms being found in connection to drug trafficking.
Each agency hand-picked law enforcement officers from these agencies. All team members have received specialized training, or have had military combat experience. The team trains together and is an available resource to all law enforcement agencies in the county. Each agency is responsible to providing adequate training and equipment to their officers. This team has been successful in safely removing drug traffickers from the streets, and is called upon whenever a high risk search warrant is executed.
Recently, Bucyrus and Galion Fire Departments have joined the team, allowing medics to be on scene, in case of a medical emergency.
This team has been successful in combating illegal drug use in Crawford County. Examples are shown below. The Sheriff’s Office directed or assisted in 35 search warrants in 2014.
Concealed Carry Weapon Permits
The Sheriff’s Office is responsible for handling all CCW applications and renewals. Applicants must first apply and then an extensive background check is done to make sure the individual is in compliance with requirements as defined in the Ohio Revised Code. The Sheriff’s Office also suspends and revokes CCW permits as required by law. The laws have changed several times and staff attend training to stay up to date with current laws. In 2014, 236 CCW permits were issued, 160 permits were renewed, 3 were suspended, and 2 were denied.
D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education)
The Sheriff’s Office offers D.A.R.E. in several schools in Crawford County. Sheriff Ronny Shawber and Deputy Tim Ley initiated this program at the Sheriff’s Office in 1989 and we still offer D.A.R.E. today. Deputy Chris Martin has recently started teaching D.A.R.E. to students in Crestline and Bucyrus schools. The D.A.R.E. program is the largest anti-drug program which focuses on school age children.
Deputy Martin’s salary is paid for by the Sheriff’s Office as well as grant funding. Classroom materials, awards and shirts for the students, are paid for through gifts and donations from the local community.
The D.A.R.E. curriculum focuses on teaching children to resist drugs, violence, and even focuses on bullying. Children from kindergarten through 6th grade receive these lessons. Deputy Martin has also talked to groups of teenagers in high school.
Sheriff Kent attends the D.A.R.E. graduations, and in 2014, we also had a guest speaker. Judge Sean Leuthold, the Municipal Court Judge, spoke to the children at almost all the graduations, offering a motivational speech as well as words of encouragement. The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Judge Leuthold for his support of the D.A.R.E. program.
D.A.R.E. classes are offered in the following schools: Wynford, Colonel Crawford, Buckeye Central, Bucyrus, Crestline, St. Bernard, Sacred Heart, and Saint Joseph Catholic School.
Court House Security
Deputies assigned to the Crawford County Court House are responsible for the security of the building. Deputies screen people and property coming to the court house, using an x-ray machine and magnetometer. Several knives and other prohibited items are seized each year.
Deputies patrol the building and are called to the courtrooms whenever there is a disturbance. Deputies monitor security cameras, fire alarms, and assist the public with pointing out where they need to go inside the courthouse.
Special Deputies
The Crawford County Special Deputy Unit is composed of individuals who are engaged in other full time occupations, but wish to contribute their service to their community. These deputies are certified peace officers and have full powers of arrest. Reserve Deputies are required to maintain their peace officer certification by completing yearly mandated training and annual firearms training. Special Deputies assist the Sheriff’s Office by providing needed manpower on incidents and large scale emergencies. Special Deputies provide security at the Crawford County Fair, School events, the Bratwurst Festival, and many other events.
The Special Deputy Unit donated funds to the Sheriff’s Office in 2014, to equip new cruisers.
Jail
The Sheriff’s Office houses the only jail facility in the county. Corrections Officers are needed to maintain a secure facility. Inmates are provided with food, clothing, medical treatment, and supervision. The Jail is responsible for transporting inmates to and from court proceedings. When an inmate receives a prison sentence, corrections staff is responsible for transferring inmates to prison.
Jail Administrator Kent Rachel is in charge of Jail Operations. J.A. Rachel is a 23-year veteran and oversees the daily operations of the jail.
The Jail is required to meet the minimum jail standards, defined by the Department of Corrections. A yearly inspection is conducted by the state to make sure policies are in compliance, staff has proper training, and to make sure the facility meets state standards.
Corrections Officers and Support Staff are required to complete yearly training requirements, and all Corrections staff must complete a Corrections Academy within their first year of employment.
Corrections Officers monitor several security cameras in housing areas. Until recent, security cameras at the Justice Center were not recorded. A new system was installed and now cameras are recorded 24 hours a day.
The Sheriff’s Office has seen an increase in inmate medical costs. This increase for the most part is due to inmates being brought in with drug related medical issues, and those experiencing mental health issues.
We contract with Correct Care Solutions and have a doctor and two nurses, who address inmate medical needs.
Food Services are provided by Aramark. In order to reduce costs, inmates with trustee status are assigned to the kitchen to help prepare meals and assist with clean up. We were looking at a cost per meal increase in 2014. Sheriff Kent met with Aramark and adjusted menu options to further reduce costs. A contract was agreed upon, locking in the reduced rate for 3 years. In 2014, 129,614 meals were prepared for inmates.
In 2014, the Justice Center had 1538 total inmate bookings.
To prepare inmates for re-introduction back into society, Alpha 12-step recovery program is offered to inmates who are here on drug related charges. Pastor Margie Maddox comes to the jail and holds classes for those looking to recover from their drug addiction. Sheriff Kent provides the required materials and a classroom where weekly meetings are held.
Pastor Maddox has expanded her services to the jail population to include Behavior Modification and Anger Management. She also works closely with the court system, letting the courts know of the progress of the inmates.
Pastor Maddox also offers services beyond the jail and programs are paid for through public donations.
Video Court is held at the Sheriff’s Office, through an internet connection tied into the courthouse. This system saves the county money as many of the hearings can be held over the video system, reducing transportation costs, and number of staff needed for transports.
Communications
The Communications Division is truly the heart of the Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office has 9 full time dispatchers and 2 dispatchers that work intermittently. Communications is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Dispatchers field calls from the main telephone lines, as well as emergency dispatch lines, and 911 calls. They are responsible to dispatching fire departments and the ambulance service as well. Dispatch is responsible for communicating with the following agencies:
• Sheriff’s Office Enforcement division
• Sheriff’s Office Jail division and Maintenance
• State Band radio frequency
• New Washington Police Department
• Crawford County Emergency Management
• Bucyrus City Fire Department
• Tiro Auburn Volunteer Fire Department
• Bucyrus Township Volunteer Fire Department
• Chatfield Township Volunteer Fire Department
• New Washington Volunteer Fire Department
• Dallas Township Volunteer Fire Department
• Holmes Township Volunteer Fire Department
• Jefferson Township Volunteer Fire Department
• Liberty Township Volunteer Fire Department
• Lykens Township Volunteer Fire Department
• Whetstone Township Volunteer Fire Department
• Central Joint Ambulance District
Communications is also responsible for monitoring and operating LEADS (Law Enforcement Automated Data System). This system allows dispatchers to check vehicle registrations and the driving status of motorists. Arrest warrants are entered through this system and other arresting agencies communicate with dispatch through LEADS. Dispatch can also use LEADS to enter missing persons, along with stolen property.
The Crawford County Sheriff’s Office is the central point of contact for 9 other counties when entering Amber Alerts. Dispatchers must also enter information into a county-wide records management system, monitor the Emergency Alert System, a weather computer, and set off tornado sirens. They monitor a residential and business alarm system, and operate security doors and cameras for the lobby, administration, along with security cameras located around the building.
Dispatcher had in excess of 37,928 calls come through Communications in 2014.