Changes made in sheriff’s office
By DAVE PAYNE Sr.PARKERSBURG - Wood County Sheriff Jeff Sandy has been in office for less than a week, but already there has been significant change in how the department operates, with a promise of more changes to come.
Sandy is realigning the department by combining the detective bureau and narcotics task force into the Major Crime Unit.
Sandy said the realignment will improve communication and cooperation between the task force and detectives. He also is combining the Wood County Holding Center and Home Confinement programs.
"We're going to have the home confinement and holding center under one supervisor. They are within 20 feet of each other and were two separate units. The holding center has 15 employees, home confinement has five. They need one leader," Sandy said.
A key part of Sandy's plans for the office include equipping officers with laptop computers in their cruisers, so they can fill out reports while in the field. The sheriff said a specific plan will be developed once a study is completed of the department's cell phone usage to see what the county might be able to save in its telecommunications before asking for any additional funds for the cruiser-computer network.
Sandy said he is also making changes in the concealed weapons permit program. The program is housed at department headquarters on Second Street. Sandy, however, said he plans to move it on Feb. 1 to the Wood County Sheriff's Tax Office in the Judge Black Courthouse Annex on Market Street where there is more available parking. Sandy said there will be three people trained to operate the permit-making machine - which is very similar to those that make drivers' licenses - and the number of days it is available to applicants.
"Right now, we are booked until April," Sandy said. "We want to make sure people do not have criminal records, but at the same time expedite the system so law-abiding citizens get their permits in a timely fashion. We hope that we can run a criminal history background check and have the sheriff's approval in less than 14 days," he said.
Sandy said he also plans to make some cosmetic improvements to the headquarters, including cleaning up surplus and salvage automobiles behind the department.
"We're going to clean up the back. We need to do our part to make downtown look clean and attractive," he said.
Sandy said he is also looking at having a sealant applied to the walls, to prevent outside moisture from seeping inside, which has been causing mold problems in the office.
The department is also working to create an enhanced Web site, where the public will be able to access the department's budget, spending and press releases, he said.
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bobzim
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01-06-09 6:49 PM
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I think the previous Sheriff believed that the deputies should be able to communicate by prayer. Laptops are the work of Satan!
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Suttle
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01-06-09 3:13 PM
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I can't believe that the deputies have such poor communications provided to them. Even Barney Fife has a laptop computer in his squad car. Good grief Charlie Brown what kind of law enforcement do we have in Wood County. Maybe tin cans and a string might work too???
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