PCSO to increase enforcement through grants

With grant funding from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office will be increasing enforcement in three key areas.

On Monday, Chief Deputy Tom Sutherlin and Deputy Robert Soilleux appeared before the Putnam County Commissioners, announcing that the department had received $35,000 in grant funding from the CJI. The funding breaks down as $15,000 for school bus stop arm violation enforcement, $10,000 for DUI enforcement and $10,000 for speeding enforcement.

Through the grants, PCSO will be able to have off-duty deputies work overtime, concentrating on one of these areas of enforcement while not taking away from normal enforcement efforts nor placing a large burden on the department budget.

Sutherlin noted that these areas are among the most frequent complaints the department hears from residents.

The programs will start later this month and continue into 2024.

The grants themselves do not require the approval of the commissioners. However, the county did have to agree to the payment of a local match — $4,579.25 for FICA, Social Security and Medicare.

This money is already in the budget and therefore does not require further approval from the Putnam County Council.

Commissioners Tom Helmer, David Berry and Rick Woodall approved the request unanimously.

In what is sure to be another enforcement matter for the sheriff’s office, County Engineer Jim Peck announced that striping on Manhattan Road was set for completion this week. Peck later confirmed to the Banner Graphic that a double-yellow centerline had been installed from the Greencastle city limits to U.S. 40 as of Wednesday, officially making the heavily-traveled road a no passing zone for the entirety of its six-mile length.

“Hopefully this will cut down on the number of accidents,” Peck told the Banner Graphic.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Approved the rezoning of the Anthony’s Pizza property at 6086 N. CR 725 East, Coatesville, from Agricultural 2 to Commercial General.

The property, formerly Pizza Den, had previously been allowed to operate under the old designation, but the recent installation of a sign without permits brought a number of issues to light, including the fact that the sign is partially on a different piece of property.

Zeiner noted that the rezone had already been approved by the County Plan Commission and that the owner is working to resolve all of the related zoning issues.

• Conditionally approved the expansion of storage units at Groveland, contingent upon review and approval of a drainage plan for the property.

The issue again brought to light the need for an active county drainage board. For now, the county will rely upon Christopher Burke Engineering to make the approval of a drainage plan.