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Sheriff says he wants deputies on county roads
Putnam County Sheriff Scott Stockton joined the League of Women Voters and about a dozen community members for a question-and-answer session at Eli's Books in Greencastle Monday night.
Among the many questions posed to the sheriff was the department's jurisdictional guidelines when providing services to Putnam County communities, especially those with police departments already in place.
"I want deputies out in the county. If they (other departments) need help, we will certainly help them ... I want their (deputies') cars dusty and I want to see stops on county roads. That's where I want to see those tickets and warnings," Stockton said.
Stockton explained Indiana police officers have statewide authority, but unless an officer is "backed into a corner or pressed into action," most will not exercise the authority outside of duty in their normal jurisdiction.
The sheriff said his goal is to have deputies in area not typically patrolled, such as county roads or areas like Heritage Lake, in order to provide services to those not in the boundaries of cities and towns. Although, he said in the past the department has worked with entities such as the Greencastle Police Department to provide additional coverage when officers are training.
"This is not a competition. It's a partnership to provide the best services for everybody," Stockton said.
Meanwhile, Stockton said he is confident about the future of the Putnam County Humane Society after an attendee asked the sheriff why Putnam County has had such a hard time getting the shelter back in working order.
"I think there have been some challenges ... some funding sources have injured it," Stockton said. "It is operational now. We are taking calls. We are receiving animals. Animals are going out."
Stockton said the department is working with the Humane Society and Animal Control Board.
The process has started with the implementation of two animal control officers and housing a few animals at the Putnam County Jail. The department is also working to send the dogs to rescues specializing in certain breeds, as well as other entities.
"What we are trying to do is offer the best service to the public and take care of the animals. There is no one else representing these little animals and dogs -- it's us," Stockton said.
He noted great strides have been made at the shelter through the help of the Humane Society, Animal Control Board, volunteers, as well as the inmates at the Putnam County Jail working at the building.
Stockton was also asked if the inmates are provided educational services while in custody of the Putnam County Jail. While services are offered, Stockton said often times they are not utilized.
"It depends on the inmate and if they want to expose themselves to that ... It's hard to motivate people like that because of their state of mind. They are usually very depressed because they are in jail or they are facing prison time," Stockton said.
In addition, the sheriff said often times the inmates cycle through the Putnam County Jail so quickly, they are unable to dedicate the time to the education process. Although, delayed trial dates could leave some inmates at the county jail for a few years.
Referring back to the state of mind, Stockton said the Putnam County Sheriff's Department has recently implemented a healthcare provider, which includes a representative visiting the jail four hours a week to meet with inmates based on need.
He noted this program is very new to Putnam County and it will take time to develop the use of those hours.
Stockton was also asked about the use of reserves within the Putnam County Sheriff's Department. He explained once his term began in January, all existing reserves were disbanded.
Reserves had to reapply and screened before a panel, with only two reserves maintaining a position with the department. While these officers are unpaid, they are held to the same standard as the rest of the deputies. For example, they have to go through the same training and have to be able to effectively write a probable cause affidavit.
The conversation about reserves turned into the topic of diversity within the force. Stockton said he has not received female or minority applications.
"It's a challenge to entice young people because of the starting salary. This is not a big metropolitan area," Stockton explained.
Following a question about the use of cell phones while driving, Stockton explained texting while driving is illegal, but talking and hands-free use are allowed.
He noted while these methods of contact are legal, he advocates against their use because there are still safety issues. For example, drivers are still distracted, but they feel more confident by not typing out a text message.
There is technology available to block cell phone signals while driving, but Stockton said this would impede the driver's ability to contact law enforcement if being followed or experiencing another type of emergency.
A question emailed to moderator Leslie Hanson asked the sheriff's position on gun laws. Stockton said he was able to work directly with infiltrating firearm lawbreakers during his time with the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) federal task force.
"I think there are loopholes in the system ... There are always going to be those who comply with the laws and there are always going to be those who don't comply," Stockton stressed.
While working undercover, Stockton said he worked with gun dealers to see if they were complying with the laws. Although, his biggest issue was the ability to purchase guns in unofficial settings in which gun laws are often not taken into consideration.
"I think we can make as many laws as we want, but people are always going to get their hands on weapons if people who already have the weapons are irresponsible with storage," Stockton said.
"If someone wants to get their hands on a weapon -- be it a handgun, hammer or an ax because we see these kind of attacks, too -- people are going to do the unexpected."