Law Enforcement Committee - Regular Meeting

microphone. Microphone. Okay. It's 4:30. Welcome to the law enforcement committee meeting October 9th, 2025. Everybody have an agenda? Yes, ma'am. Okay. I'm going to call this meeting open for business at 4:30 on the dot. We've already taken and reported ro. I need a motion to approve the agenda. I'll do that. I'll make that motion. Second. Okay. Everybody in favor say I. I. I. Okay. Next is public comments. Any public comments?

Nobody. You don't have any Bob? Okay. Just want to make sure. Okay. I need a motion. If anybody's had a chance to look over the meetings or minutes from our previous meeting, we need a motion to approve those. I'll make a motion. Okay. I have a motion. I need a second. I'm still reading.

Okay, that's fine. Yeah. Right over. I'll second.

Okay, I have a second. Everybody in favor say I. I. Motion carries. Next is any unfinished business. I can't think of any that I know of. You have some Roger like you do working on. Okay. I mean, okay. It's still up there a little bit trying to gather information for before we just discuss it. Make it new business. Okay. Gotcha. Right. We'll move on to new business. Sheriff, can we have your report, please?

Good afternoon. This is gotten really formal here in this room since last time I was here. Mhm.

Um, if you'll look at the very back page of your packet, uh, you'll see our population today at approximately 100 p.m. was 382, uh, 310 males and 75 females. Um we've been running a fairly high population since the last time we met. Um we have at times been over 400. I think we were at 420 plus one day and it just happened to be the day that the state inspectors showed up. Um but anyway um um we u inspectors came back later our population was back down and we were awarded a reertification by the state. So

that's great to hear. Well, I have a, you know, our jails in, you know, great shape compared to many. Um, you know, if if they fail you and for overpopulation, I I I have a problem with it. Um because if you come to the jail and you go back in those pods and you don't see any female or male waiting to use a commode or a shower or waiting in line um just because they have to triple up in a sale or sleep on a special pallet in Coffee County. I don't agree with the state's philosophy on descertifying. And as we continue on down this road that we're going, we're going to continue to be above 400. And let me back that up with saying from the meeting I just came from um the last two days with the sheriffs, my classmate who is the sheriff of Shelby County came to uh give all of us sheriffs an update of his situation in Memphis and he's in a dire straits. So before the federal task force showed up, he has a 2600 bed facility that had 2,800 inmates. Now we average anywhere at times from 90 to 25 state inmates. That should be at the penitentiary. He's somewhere around 200. So y'all do the math on that. I think I'm I'm getting the raw end of the deal. But

TDOC uh when this thing hit, he got a hope to the governor's office and said, you know, if they're going to be dragging all these people in, I need you to come get your inmates. And they they came and got them. Um they're also in negotiations with TDOC right now about housing pre-trial felon state potential inmates. Now, that's that's that's I know that's hard to imagine, but pre-trial, okay, that's you know, if they're charged with serious crimes but have not been sentenced or have not had their due process, they've got to house them somewhere. That is going to have a we don't know how we do not know how long that's going to last over there in West Tennessee. We don't know if u this thing may spread to another city. I I've not heard that, but we we just don't know what the future is. But we know the future in Memphis right now is that's not going to let up for anytime soon. and it's going to push um a lot of things back on us. So, if the state is having to load their beds up with things coming out of Shelby County, that is going to have a conveyor effect on the 94, the rest of the 94 of us of not being able to get inmates moved in to where they need to go in the state system. if they take pre-trials to house them, that is really going to clog the system up. And then on top of that, I know what's coming. If they continue down this road, they're going to start reaching out to the rest of us counties. And they're already reaching out to the surrounding counties like Fat, Haywood, Typton. Uh it's got to be Tennessee counties. and and Shelby County is at a disadvantage because they border two states, Arkansas and Mississippi and we can't take they can't share

inmates across the state line. It's a federal violation. So, they've got to stay in state. Whereas here in Coff County, I'm surrounded and I've got a little more centrally located. I've got a little more resources to reach out to, but they're they're at a geographical disadvantage. So, that's going to push potentially a call from Shelby County asking the rest of us to share the burden. And I'm not real excited about it, but looks like we're all in this together. And, you know, they've done things for us and I expect to return the favor. And we've had, you know, we all of the counties share the burdens on inmates. sometimes and uh we have to move folks around and and we are legally can do that particularly with state inmates. I mean a state inmate could be housed in any county possible. So I want to make you aware of that that you know right now Shelby County you know our jail's 400 beds. Shelby County's got approximately 300 plus people in their booking area right now.

Wow.

And they're bringing anywhere from 150 a day in there. So, you know, we we kind of pulled together to have discussions with the sheriff on what thinking outside the box of ideas what we can do to relieve him. And, you know, the National Guard is supposed to have showed up today. Um, I have a feeling they're just going to be in a a support role whether they're there guarding federal buildings, whether they're there to come in and give, you know, um, answer, you know, freeing up other people to go work corrections or maybe National Guardsman may be answering the phones. Uh, they may be up processing u speeding tickets and warrants in the clerk's office. We don't know. um don't think that they're going to be, you know, armed and arresting people because that brings on some constitutional issues that have not been worked out to my understanding. But, um I have sympathize with my fellow sheriff in Shelby County because he knows that there's a crime problem, but there's also crime problems in other areas. And they know that with all this coming in, it has pushed a lot of people out of the inner big inner city where they were compiled in pretty much a centralized area to now. I don't think it's going to affect Coffee County, but some of those people are going to be passing through here trying to get to Atlanta or trying to get to Chattanooga and you're going to start seeing those effects. And it just takes one of those serious gangsters uh to do something stupid at one of our convenience stores off of a interstate exit or state highway that it causes problems. So it's it's like when you stomp a mud hole in the it's it's going to spread out. But they're not going to be down there forever and this thing's going to retract back in. What do they do then? But I wanted to

prep you that some of us, a lot of us um may have to, you know, whether we house one person, we may get called upon to help our fellow law enforcement officers in in the state. But uh um and and it could clog and we may not get that qu we may not get that call. I hope we don't. But the call that I am worried about is when I be able to my jail staff can call to Nashville to TD the commissioner TDLC's office and say, "Hey, I need you to take 10 of these state inmates. Were full." And they're going to say, "Sorry, best of luck to you." And and there's we're losing money every day when you house state inmates. It's there's there's no money there. But I wanted to give you a briefing on that right now. And just so that you're aware because you see all these things being said on TV and in the news and it's great. Yeah. It's great on the vision that they're doing all this stuff, but it's it's local coffers that are paying for it because they got a it's a general fund of Shelby County that's feeding them and medicating them and transporting them.

Okay. They're not they're not giving them federal vouchers when they go in. Yes, sir. Commissioner, if you get some of those from Shelby County, would they be state or would they be local from Shelby? Could be either. It could be either. That's what I assume. Yeah, it it's it's hodge podge. Um and if you get those, is the reimbursement the same as a state?

If state state inmate, it' be $41. Yeah. And um like I said, it that's $41, but um you know, if they're pre-trial, there's no you know, it's just it's just local local cost. Um but um you know, every once in a while we have to swap one in or in or out. Sometimes we'll trade two for one or one for one or one for zero. I mean, if sometimes you get inmates that are problem children that can't live in their local community jail because they made too many enemies in the jail or whatever and you get it, you know. So, I took one in today for Hamilton County. He he uh wasn't able to to live in Hamilton County and they've done me a lot of favors over time of housing some folks potentially federal inmates. they're already closer to the courts down there and I got I got a call and I accepted that service and you know a nonviolent person and we we were able to handle it and I was able to accommodate and I like try to accommodate the sheriffs because they're larger counties have a lot of resources and Hamilton County if we have something major here Hamilton County will be here with everything they've got. Um but yeah, the the finance on stuff like that is you don't you don't know.

Well, the if the Fed is picking these people up or whoever, will they hopefully ship them out of the whole country? Some there's not a lot of we're not talking about a lot of ICE related Oh. immigration related things. That's that's a different issue. Now, now there there is some ICE officials down there. This is just local

Shelby County, Memphis criminal gang bangers, drug dealers, um drive by shooters, robbers, rapist, um just local homegrown Shelby County people. So, are they people they aren't being uh picked up initially or they just now got a big push on it? They're they're being picked up on local warrants that may be on file in Shelby County. Um there may be uh traffic stops that are conducted and they they found convicted felons with guns, a lot of guns. Um you know, a lot of people that need to be taken off the street.

What I'm trying to figure out is I would think that would be happening every day anyway. Well, it but now there's more push on it. Well, so it should be happening every day. Yes, that's what I'm getting at.

It should be happening every day, but um City of Memphis Police Department is several hundred officers down. Shelby County Corrections alone's 400 officers down. There's only so many people to go around to do so many things. And what I was saying before they showed up, they were just surviving answering the daily calls. And um yeah, there's a lot of political issues going on with city and county leadership about enforcement. I just got done speaking to a group of people in this afternoon at lunchtime and I said, you know, last year during the general assembly, we had to pass a law in state of Tennessee to tell the city of Memphis to enforce traffic laws because they passed an ordinance said we're not going to ordering our police department, don't be writing speeding tickets. Don't be writing stop sign law. Don't be don't be writing citations or charging people with minor traffic offenses. Well, that's not good. So, the general assembly had to pass a law that says it's against the law for you to pass an ordinance like that and you must rescend it. So, that's the reason you've got 150 troopers down there lighting their world up, which leads to, oh, you've got a warrant for your arrest. Oh, by the way, where'd you get this little gram of cocaine? Oh, word, by the way, what are you doing with this Glock 9 millimeter?

So,

I'm understanding better now. But federal agents do not do state charges, okay? They're just there. Everything is going on is being assisted by a local deputy sheriff, a local police officer, or some sworn law enforcement officer from the state of Tennessee. That's a misconception because fed FBI, ATF, DEA, ICE do not. They don't have local law enforcement authority. They have federal law enforcement authority. Now, if they have a bank robbery, they're good. They, you know, if they have a kidnapping case across state lines, they're good. So, they're just there in enforcement action um to push through. you know, if they can got some conspiracy cases that they can make, yes, they can go federally, but they've only got a few, just a very few um uh locations in West Tennessee to house federal arrestes. So, we brought up about the core civic prison in Mason, which is several miles away, and uh that is strictly for ICE detainments that are coming in regionally from Arkansas or whatever. Now, if there's federal charges, they can house them anywhere in the United States, but on state charges, it has to be within the state of Tennessee. So, it's very convoluted. It's very complicated. I just wanted to prepare you that u I I don't think the sky's is falling this far east, but we never know. And um you know, we're one of the larger jails and for a population our size and if the state of Tennessee has the same act, excuse me, has the same access to our daily population. In other words, Nashville

knows how many empty beds I have every day. and they could call and say, "We're going to send you four or five of these boogers to for you to put in the county bed and breakfast." And you have to take them. You can't decline it. I could decline, but it would not be in my best interest to do that, you know, uh because then then they'll crucify you. Oh, you don't want to help be safe. I want to be a cooperating individual and I want to do, you know, I don't want bad people out on the street and and next time they inspect you in jail. Well, they get pickier.

So, that I didn't mean to get way down in that, but that is the things that you're seeing every day on television right now. It's the hot topic

and um law enforcement over there knows they were in a crisis and they need something done, but they came in there, there was no plan. You know, they should have had barracks set up. port just like the military, they go in and put stuff up, put beds in, cs in, heat and air. You know, winter's coming on and that that gets cold over there off that Mississippi River. I asked Sheriff Bonner and I was he thought I was joking, but I wasn't. I said, you know, National Guard uh can put in large housing units on Mud Island down there. And he's he's like, "Those elected officials are not going to let those people be intense." And I was like, well, if it was in Coff County, if we had a fire to jail, if we I mean, just like we did a year ago in East Tennessee, then people be happy with a 10 roof.

So, they're going to have to start pushing and thinking outside the box. And, you know, the perception of where, you know, GMO and all this, you know, hey, if they're arresting them, they're going to have to put them somewhere because you can only stack so much in there. And, uh, it was already dangerous. It's already a dangerous situation in downtown Memphis at their jail anyway. Do do law enforcement agencies like this association of sheriffs and uh police association of police chiefs and all this can you all get together and get a get a common statement out of what you need and and and what we resolve

off all this that we're getting ready to get into. We do and we've been together. Matter of fact, there was a joint meeting of senior sheriffs and police chiefs last night in Franklin to discuss some some issues. So, that's that kind of stuff's going on. Uh we try not to draw a lot of you know, it's hard to do a joint effort thing, but we we all talk of what we can help with each other with resources. Most of the sheriffs know

what I have. I know what they have, and they kind of know, and that's kind of where we're going with this right now. that the key topic is jail space beds because we know, you know, Nashville doesn't understand nor do they care. Washington DC doesn't understand nor they sure enough don't care what happens to us in Coffee County politics for them. It's exactly right. But I'm being a realist here. Yeah. Um that yes, they have a crime problem. Yes, they need things to be done. But before we just start throwing people in there, you need to know what am I going to do with it?

You're right. And that's like if um if um if I've bought a thousand acre farm and I've got a thousand acres of corn planted on it, I better have a plan of where I'm going to do with it this time of year when I go through there with a combine. You just don't want to dump it out on the ground because you've wasted You better have logistics. You better have You better have the equipment. Better have the trucks. You better have storage. Better have a market. Same thing. Same logistics with people. And um it's just a lot of things have been forced forced a little a little too soon and we're going to start seeing fallout on it. And then if you talk against it or say something against it then you get a put on you get put on a naughty list. Yeah.

And um well you're just going to put us on a naughty list because I can only do so much. I have to protect the government of Coffee County's general fund and the citizens of Coffee County. And I really don't want somebody else's problems in my county because they cause more trouble. We're pretty peaceful and I don't need some na Memphis gangbanger training my local people to be full blown gladiators. But anyway, hope I hope that makes sense. But yeah, any other questions?

I know you've looked at it. Um, your what is your misdemeanor population to possibly do house arrest? You know, if go that route to ease your burden.

We hadn't got there yet. And that would not be a decision for me to make. That would that would be in the courts and and the prosecution side. I I would say um um in times past and many years past that there has when at the old jail, okay, they've went through and did an inventory of you're close to being out and they give some early releases and things of that nature is where you're going with that. And yes, uh there's now a monitor systems and things we can do or probation would be able to work with us, but we haven't got to that point.

Mr. Chambers. I'm generally about 30,000 foot higher than I need to be, but I I just I'm one of those I want to let you know where I don't have to come into you in the next quarter and go, "Well, we did this and I knew this today. This is fresh." And but if we get to that, yes, that would be something that we would we would look at. But we're not going to let anybody out of that jail that is hurt somebody uh you know if it's if it's if it's a you know some kind of driving offense or something like that that's different. Is that population number on the sheet that's

Yeah, those are in there. Now you also have to understand in those on those stats that those numbers uh some of those folks have felony and misdemeanor charges, right? So, it it kind of gets complicated on how you break that down. Um, somebody might have been in felony possession of a gun and simple possession of marijuana. So, that would show those double numbers.

Yeah. Um, getting back to some stuff I talked about last month, uh, just to give you an update. I noticed I was looking through the minutes. I had mentioned to y'all about the motorcycles thing. Uh they are in Murphreey'sboro and uh we're in the process of buying the we've got the the the bikes. We're in the process of buying the equipment to go on the bikes and then we'll have to bring them and stripe them. And we have two wonderful deputy sheriffs that are going to be going here in the next week or two to specialized law enforcement motor training. And uh I'm I'm kind of excited about this and then I'm not because um it's not going to be very popular when they hit the road out here uh giving out pieces of paper that cost a lot of money. But in traffic studies that we've done and fatality studies we're hearing and the number of complaints I'm getting about this excessive reckless driving and speeding on our county roads. this is the option I've taken and I'm going to give the citizens advanced warning. Once we get them, we're going to showcase them and say this is it and x amount of days. Uh folks, don't be going down Ragster Road doing 90 mph, you're going to get a very expensive ticket, close to $400. The cost of citations are going up. Uh, Miss Anony's going to be giving me that, I think, here pretty soon in the next 30 days or so because the the rates are going up and these speeding tickets are just very expensive. It's the only thing I know to get some people's attention. Uh, we've got to slow some folks down. We've had a number of fatalities um that's happened out in out in the county and a lot of them have been motorcycle related.

Um we we're seeing um serious injuries and um you know it's it's hard to keep deputy sheriffs on all these roads. It's hard to get state troopers to help because they're busy running off doing being sent to the other end of the world to do this and that and festivals and football games and riots and guarding the the capital and there's just not enough to go around. But I'm going to try this at the local level. I just want it to understood it's not they're they'll people will start saying, "Well, they're just doing that for fee grabbing and this and that." No, trust me, every ticket gets wrote a vote. I'm potentially going to lose. So, why would I want to cut my own throat? But if it's my duty to uh provide safety and security and get the word out and I hope it gets that people understand we're not going to play around with this anymore and we're going to have radar on these things and these these boys are going to be instructed to put the ink to paper and once you start getting in somebody's pocketbook, they're going to slow down. And you know, we're not looking at one or two m hour over the speed limit. I'm talking danger speeds and um want to give you an update on that. I would appreciate any kind of feedback. Uh I hope in the future that they're just there to help do our funeral escorts, uh to help work Bonnaroo traffic, uh to help work special events, um to help go do showing tales at schools because they are cool and um kids love them. I know when the troopers come in, that's the first thing. You can have a big tank over here and those kids go straight to the motorbikes. Um, so they're going to be a multitask thing. They're they are um going to pay for themselves. And no, they have not been bought out of the general fund. They have been bought out of some special funds that some drug dealers have given us. So, they will help work

drug cases. And uh out on the county roads, moving radar is the main thing. the deputies are still going to be doing their daily duties, but it's this moving radar on county roads that you've got to do. And and today's vehicles, it's hard to get a car, patrol car turned around and get back after somebody, but the motorcycles can turn around on a dime and be gone. So, that's what we're going to try. And if it don't work, uh, we'll declare them surplus and sell them. I just don't want nobody get hurt, but we're we're going to try it. see what happens. But that's going to be for the county and it may may even be utilized out here on I24 some.

I think the majority of the public that I think they'll appreciate it. I get a lot of calls about traffic and your road and my road and and if speed limit signs don't do any good if it's not enforced. I try to the county body can you know people say well it's 35 mph. I I know, but speed limits are only as good as the enforcement

and um I've got a we got a lot of subdivisions out in the county, you know, Fredonia Village, all that area. I get a lot of calls and complaints and um we're we're going to if if needed, we're going to start increasing this. I know the real road and bridge or highway committee asked me some months ago what radars cost. I mean, if I outfitted every patrol car we've got in the county, it probably be somewhere around $100,000. Uh, but I would say that eventually they they pay for themselves. I'm one of the few sheriffs in Middle Tennessee that does not have radar in every car. All of our neighboring deputies have them. I just it's just not been a popular thing and for me. But I guess that's one thing I need to start changing with the times a little bit.

Are those dash mounted or you get light? No, they're they're mounted in they're they're hardened mounted in the bikes and we may be looking at some handheld lightars later on. Just takes a different certificate with that. Yes, sir. Mr. Brown, what's your pursuit policy?

My pursuit policy is um is uh we we do pursue. Uh we do not have a no pursuit policy, but we do have questions that be are asked, you know, time of day, weather, uh amount of traffic, the seriousness of what the pursuits are, and that's left up to those patrol supervisors if administration's not on radio um to kill it or or or make that decision. Uh, but I do have a u a pursuit policy and um we're not going to turn our heads to the criminal element and that's that's been some of our problem here um of recent in some of our areas of the state. Um, most of your municipalities have a zero pursuit policy. And that's because TML and their attorneys to say you're better off letting the the armed robber run out there and rob the stores and smash the shoe stores and get all the iPhones and just let them go. Um, you know, where does it stop? Uh, as as sheriff, I'm I'm not if if that happens here, I'm I'm I'm going after him. Um, now if we've we've stopped somebody and for we know has got an expired driver's license or driving on your boat and it's somebody we've all known that lives in XYZ that takes off. Um, we kill those um because they're not worth it. But I've lost several vehicles this year already. But one was a man that was avoiding a 20-year sentence in a state penitentiary for a violent crime and flat out said sent word to the circuit judges, I'm not going. And we we just kind of monitored for a while and deputies run across him one morning on

another call and he cost me three vehicles in that one. And then the next two week or two, we had an indictment on a lady for murder of her child. Uh went to arrest her and she got away from them, cut through the yard and and got into a car, was trying to arrest her at her home. She got away on foot and got in a car and let them on a chase down the interstate and ended up um wrecking two basically totaling two vehicles on that, which we we try to repair a lot of them ourselves. I mean, we we do a lot of duck duct tape and bailing wire and rattle can white paint ourselves if we can just put them back together. But, um, you know, Commissioner Brown, from your time in law enforcement, um, it's not as much as it was when you were on patrol. Um, but we have a lot more people running because they they they've seen these news articles. They've seen these policies. Oh, they're not going to chase us. That's been some of the problem in Memphis. And I think the highway patrols lost 8 to 10 vehicles already in this week. They're not playing. Neither is Arkansas. Um we're kind of the sheriff's here in this area and most of the sheriffs in the state of Tennessee are got the same policy we've got and we've got the same philosophy. Don't mess around and find out what's going to happen. Don't run. Best thing to do is just stop. I don't want nobody to get hurt. I had a very good good friend that I've known for years and years that got killed in Warren County and uh it's sad situation. That guy had committed a carjacking on I mean, what do you tell the victim of that farmer that was going in the store that morning to get a cup of coffee and he gets a 45 put to his gut by this guy who is already on the run from Murfersburg and carjacks him and takes off and the city of McMinnville and the

Warren County is trying to stop him. And when they get behind him, he starts throwing the lead out the window back to him and about puts a bullet between the Warren County deputy's head. You should have seen the bullet holes in the windshield. It It happened so fast, so quick. And then this guy goes off into oncoming traffic on the fourlane up there on Nashville Highway and hits and kills Phyllis Prader and they were shooting back at the guy trying to take him out. It's It's just no win for nobody. Um, but you know, he's the one he's the one that drove into the other lane. He's the one that did the robbery. He's the one that did the carjacking and he's the one that did the shooting at law enforcement. It's just an innocent person was coming down the road. I hate it for all of them. And um I I don't want that to happen, but we just we have to pick our battles and and pray that we do the right thing. And I hope I answered your question.

Yeah, that's what I was getting to about what's happening in Warren County. Yeah. And u you know,

you'll probably lose too. It's uh it's one of those topics that are always at the height of our conversations at at at our association meetings, at our legislative meetings, and always at our general assembly meetings. And um we cannot continue to turn our head to the thugs or the thugs take over. That's it. End of story. I don't really have anything else. Or were jails reertified or did I tell you about the building? They got the building painted the shop. Oh, it looks great. If you go up Madison Street, it looks like it's great. So, Roger,

we did too. Huh? Yeah, you did. Y'all did the same group. Them boys are good. Um, but yeah, it it brought new life to that building and we hope we get some long more longevity out of it. Yeah.

Um, I know. Oh, the air conditioners on top of the jail now. Now we're looking at winter. I I I have turned that all over to uh um Commissioner Hirshman and and Commissioner Watkins and I do not know where they're at with that. So, they they've they've taken that ball and are running. Uh I know it's the the air is blowing cold in my office and I'm I'm sure it's blowing cold back to jail. I haven't had any complaints, but I know we're they were trying to get the parts and there's uh this this this HVAC stuff's just uh become a pain and trying not to spend 150 $200,000 per unit. I mean, if there's parts out there, let's get them in there and fix them. But I need to know that's going to last. I just don't want to go start putting cranes up. And if we don't have to spend all that money, I don't want to. But I've still got all the heaters laying out there in case we get a big a big uh winter storm, I can put the heaters back in there. But anyway, any anything else? I appreciate y'all's time.

Thank you, Sheriff. Yep. Thank you. Okay, next we have a representative from Miss Baker's office here. Probation. Thank you.

Yes. I'm uh Jared Smotherman with Coffee County Probation and I'm going over the activity report for June, July, and August of this year. I'm standing in for Linda uh Baker. Uh client summary. Uh we had 8 836 average average average activity uh yep average uh active clients 836. One client has remained on bond conditions. He is not act active supervision. Uh we screen him monthly until he pleased. 47 state probation cases. They will come to us uh after they complete their state time. We'll have to monitor them for new charges, new charges, etc. 220 220 new cases, not clients, but cases. 200 258 case closed and that was not clients as well. That was just cases. Client contact, we had two 2,81 appointments were scheduled. 419 appointments were cancelled by clients. 331 clients were no call no show. We had 165 intakes were completed. These are the first time appointments. The most important appointment just to get as much information we as much as we can to get to know the client. We had 1,637 follow-up appointments were completed. uh 853 non-schedule phone contacts with clients were completed and that's pretty much them just calling us giving us updates and we felt like that needed to be uh documented. Uh 243 contacts were

were with therapists, case workers, etc. This number is much higher. Um but if we feel like we need to document it, then we do. If we don't, then we don't. Um, violation warrants. We had 192 violation warrants were submitted. Some of these are for extensions to give the client more time to complete their court requirements. Uh, we had 145 violations uh, warrants that were resolved. 118 letters was mailed out to clients to get uh, to get them compliant prior to a violation being submitted. And of course, that's phone calls. And of course, we send So, we send letter out letter letters out to uh the addresses that we have for them trying to get in contact with them before we have to fill out a violation of probation. 366 messages were left with clients in an attempt to get them com in compliance prior to violation being submitted. Uh court probation requirements completed. We had 128 alcohol and drug alcohol and drug evaluations. We had 23 inpatient completions uh and that is of course for A and D alcohol and drug and we had 24 outpatient alcohol and drug completions. Uh we had seven alcohol and drug education classes completed and that's just a one-time class. And then uh nine domestic violence uh evaluations. And then we had 14 batters intervention. This is a 26-week course. We had 14 of those completed. Um we had 80 DUI schools completed. Uh that is usually a 12-hour class and that is done in one day. They had 30 theft classes completion. We teach we teach this class

bimonthly. Uh the probation staff does including myself. Um we have two of us who teach that class. uh like she said by monthly. Five mental health evaluations, six mental health counseling to a level of stability. Uh four public service work completions, 251 job disability proof submitted and uh and then of course two completed school proof with diplomas. Uh and this is just do we have any questions on that? Okay. Yeah. Commissioner,

all these things you've read off, I've it's been a while since I've seen I haven't seen Yeah. reported a long lend reported a long time but um does it look appear to you that we're getting better as a society or are we getting worse or is there any difference way of measuring that that people are getting better or they're having some extra problems maybe to what's driving them you know

yeah I mean I would say for myself like with the prior clients that I've had have or have had had I I don't see them too often come back through the system. So, that's good to see. Of course, you have those occasional ones that you see and you're like, "Come on, why are you up here?" You know better. But, in I guess in my opinion, it's a hit or miss. But I find that I don't see as many come back through the system. And I I mainly deal with DUI first, seconds, and thirds. So, um that's mainly my case load. Well, are these numbers growing? Are they bigger, larger than they used to be or?

Um, that's a good question. I mean, I know um a real difference or just see mankind is holding his own as far as being I mean, I know our case loads and drugs. I mean, we're we're all carrying a case load around 140 plus

and that's six of us right now. And Linda's carrying a case load of 81. she's carrying one. That way we won't have to carry as many. Um, and we appreciate that. Um, but um, that's a good question. I mean, I've I know and I've heard my co-workers sim say the similar to the same thing about that they don't see as many go back through the system or and that could be a lot of different things. But even first- time offenders, more are there more of them? I would say for the first time, yes, in a sense. Um,

they need to set up something before they get to this level, something that would help them out. You know, I start a program a while back, few years, earlier in life.

I know. And that's with our theft clients, you know, the first time offenders, they uh I know the court, we we teach that theft class. And a lot of those some of majority or I bet we have maybe six in total. Like we like I said, we do it by monthly, but a lot of those clients are first time offenders and once they complete the class, they just have to pay a fee and then they're not on probation. Um, so we're they're putting that more you see that more often. I've I've had uh but no, we're when we get them we try to address them that in that intake to see what their needs are and we get them connected. I'm just I guess I'm wondering if if if if they get to this level

of of a child to steal can if they're somewhere maybe at the church level or community level programs to to encourage them to not do things like this or the times that we're living in a real driving factor where I know times are getting hard and lot a lot of people having to do without in a lot of for a lot of reasons But um but but you always want to encourage kids, you know, especially for sure. Maybe something we can encourage them a little bit better with. Exactly. Or something. But Yeah. And we I know discourage the stealing and and and stupid things, you know, to get you in trouble.

Exactly. And I know it seems like you the youth services, I don't have a lot of dealings with them, but it seems like they try to do a lot of preventive work. Okay. And I know with the youngest I have on my case load is 19. So, and I mean it's 18 through ever how age. So, I mean with I I mean I'm young myself and I try to I look at them like you have a lot of future left. So, you try to I try to work I I work hard with all my clients but especially with them because they're so young. Yeah. And like you said, try to do as much prevention care as you can with them. Yeah. Any other questions?

I have a few. Um the uh 331 clients no call no show where will you put them in your how will you treat those? So yes so the yes I see the front page client contact. Yes. 331. Yes. So what we do with those um so if like let's just say they miss on a Monday we give them time to reach out to us and then I bet I know for myself give them a day or two and then Thursday I'm reaching out to them trying to get a hold of them of course we try both of their numbers of course if they're not valid then we send a letter and that's our pro protocol

okay then what then what so we give them it's two weeks we give them that time that for to get a hold of us and within that two weeks if they don't contact us then it would end up being a violation and of course we're checking Vine Link and all those services to see if they're in another county jail. Okay. Yeah. Um also they you were approved um and I don't know if it's been put in place yet. You have the new ankle monitors that monitor their drug testing so to speak. Yes, sir. Have y'all got those yet? So, yeah. So, we approved.

Yes. So, that's uh I just got I think it was Friday we got that information from Jenny Anthony and uh with my clients, DUI seconds and thirds. That really helps them. And I know she sent us some information about two of two of our clients that would be eligible for those funds. Right now, they're currently in custody. So once they get out, we'll get them connected if they and of course if they qualify for it. Okay. Um and one quick question, the uh ADUI uh participants in the DUI school, where is that school located at?

So um they have many different providers. I know Linda got some information about maybe us becoming a provider because that I mean that would help our clients in a sense of of course we would do it at a good price where they could afford it plus that brings knowledge to the whole team. Um but I know locally uh solutions in um they they do it uh and for assessment and DUI school it's $175. Okay. And then for just the school, it's $150. Okay. Thank you. Yeah.

All right. We'll move to the extra information. So, we celebrated a pro probation appreciation month uh on June uh 27th. Um uh each of the officers received appreciation gift as well as a great breakfast and lunch. This was no cost to the county or taxpayers at all. Our theme was it's a circus. Many days we are juggling trying to get services for our clients at the same time making them uh fulfill their obligations to the courts. We had some special guest speakers that day. Uh Samantha Bishop who is a therapist and she used to work for uh for us for uh at the Coffee County Probation Department came back and we did some trauma focused training. Ben Sneeed and Brian Eldridge with the Manchester City Police Department came and updated us on the latest drug trends. Uh, Judge Ule uh joined us for the celebration and presented some rewards to our officers. Myself uh received a reward and it was topped act of the year reward. We had three other officers, Christy Chilton, Crystal McGlin, and Kayla Christensen. Uh each received uh employee of the quarter. our officers uh continue to go above and beyond on a daily basis to promote safety and growth among our community and clients. So, that was that was a good time. I know Linda tries to do things for us every now and then just to boost boost the morale and feel appreciated. Uh our uh over the last three months, we had two clients to pass away, possibly drug overdose. We had we had an officer to resign his job due due to him having an offer of more money. We had a total of six applicants after open the job up

twice and we opened the probation officer a position twice. Uh two of the applicants did not meet standards in summer. We had four people to apply for the probation officer uh job opening and we did uh fill that uh uh with uh with a probate or we filled that probation officer role and he was one of the ex uh police officers in city but uh he worked a week and then uh he said with the paperwork it wasn't for him. So, we're currently uh going to see about doing that, opening that position back up. Um, and uh we just hired administrative assistance, so that's going to help out for sure with putting our cases in and other uh things in regards to that. Um yeah, and we h and just last week lastly we had two employees out uh out of seven as we have uh have had a vacant job opening since July. They were out sick for insined amount of time in August. This put more work on the team and they rose to the occasion. Uh as always these numbers may be off by a few. This is due to human interpretation versus computer output. And of course, respected submitted by Linda Baker, Coffee County Probation.

What is that job that you're trying to fill? What's the requirement? So, with the So, we filled the administrative role and then we're uh waiting uh to open up the uh probation officer role, but they just need a 40-year degree. Um, nearly all your jobs require a fouryear, don't they? Uh, yes, sir. But the administrative does not. It's nice, but it doesn't uh it doesn't require it. Have y'all thought about hiring an interpreter? Yes, I I know Linda looked into that and continue still looking into it. Uh, that I mean that would be a great thing for sure. You need it bad.

We do. And u like I said, Linda's on that. Um, with Linda, she's always looking in things to try to help our office in many different ways. Uh, and of course that is one of them for sure. Do we have any more questions? Thank you. All right. I appreciate Thank you. Appreciate it. Well done.

Okay. On next is judicial commissioners report. We don't have anything tonight. There is an opening. You all know that after the next full commission meeting, after Tim is officially appointed to this committee, we'll probably u have to make a referral. We'll probably have a special called meeting on that. So, we'll do the hiring on that. Usually, it's a referral from the law enforcement committee meeting. So, we'll probably get sent the applications to that, but I'll let y'all know after the mayor after the next meeting and the mayor tells us further how they're going to handle that if he's who's going to do the interviews. So,

we're not going to set a date because like I said before we close this is some business that we probably it's homework. Does anybody have a problem doing homework? Pass it. I ran across it. It was unfinished business way past a little bit of it. Do you want Oh, maybe. Okay. All right. We got it. No, everybody gets two. Yes. Okay. Everybody gets two. Yes.

All right. Um what it is is there was a job description for the uh judicial commissioners of long ago and they the in between that time and the president there was a group of commissioners when they had a u supervisor in place Mr. trail, right?

Felt the need to update their job description and this was his proposal and for some reason it died. It wasn't it just didn't get voted on. And if y'all don't mind to look into it, the differences in the two to get a grasp of what he was trying to get across that needed looked at. And then we need to at it to see if it justifies it to the present day. So, this is the one that came from Mr. Trail. Yes. Okay. And this this is this is what they have.

The one with the little note in the top corner is the one for Mr. Trail and there must be some I I just got my hands on so that's why I haven't looked into it or I'd have my suggestion. But so this is what that this is correct. This is that's what's on the books. Okay. Okay. And it's old. It's uh Yes, sir. It's 11 years old, something like that. And he felt the need um to update it and with this one. Okay.

And that's what he brought to us to propose way back when. Of course, he's no longer there. So, like I said, I just got my hands on it and I thought we would look into it, what he's trying to upgrade from the policy and then we'll see I mean from the description and then to see if it complies if any changes need to be even uh upgraded to today. So this is actually the current because the other this is the current and this is the proposal

of the job description. So we need to look at the two comparisons to see what issues he found and then make adjustments if we see fit to bring it to date if there's anything with this one. Okay. and then we'll discuss it possibly next time because we have that issue that we've never addressed there. Well, it was it was addressed through HR. Okay. Okay. Um well, we should have discussed it, you know, to know, but we can do that next. I mean, next. Yeah. We weren't and

they handled is is pretty much the way. Yeah. because the mayor's the uh right is it's his he's the authoritarian right the mayor and HR handled that so really not not much we could do or talk about during a public meetings it really wasn't passed down a lot to us so okay you know we just it was brought to our attention that there was a huge issue there and it was a big issue but they they did they did handle that problem that's great

as as best they could That's great. And uh I'd like for us to look at this as a starting point and then look at policies and procedures for them if we can get that and uh see if they you know have enough uh rules in place to uh give them guidance and what their job is. Yeah, that's um that's a good idea, Roger. Due to the past issues they've had, I I feel like that this this definitely needs an upgrade. Yes. So, and that's why I rate make copies and but like I said, I just got my hands on it. So, yeah, I haven't even seen that from

So, there's your homework. It's okay.

Thank you. That was a That's a good idea. And I'll check with the mayor and see how that um I I really wish that you the their office had a supervisor. Yes, that's that should be a main goal. Uh you have to have someone to speak for them representing them and they need one very bad. You talk to the mayor about that too and I will. Okay. He's got a lot on him and he does and you have to look at it from his perspective. You know,

he hasn't been schooled. Well, all that all that was in the the past when the mayor decided when Mr. Trail left for the right two mayors ago took on that role. He wanted to be the supervisor. So, right. And it's difficult when you don't have knowledge of that, right? And so, you know, that's a burden on so maybe we might have an answer to help him. Supervisor would do him a lot.

Well, thank you for your ideas and I'll wait and see after our commission meeting what he wants to do if we need to have a special called meeting, but we'll probably have another one before December anyway. Probably not going to wait three months before the end of the year. So, but we if it if it needs to be a referral from this committee, we're going to have a special call, but I'll let you all know. Okay. I'll send out an email and I'll call Jackie I'm going to try to get my email straight out this week hopefully or next week anyway. All right. If y'all don't have anything else, I need a motion to adjurnn. I'll make the motion. Second. Okay. All in favor say I.

I. Okay. Motion adjourn at 533. Dwight. Dwight. Yes. You need to check this out. Really? You might