LAWRENCE CO. – Lawrence County Sheriff Greg Day informed the commissioners on Tuesday morning that the Sheriff’s Department is currently operating with a significant staffing deficit, with seven officers presently unavailable due to departures, training, or military leave.
“We have three open spots,” stated Sheriff Day, “The council only approved the hiring of one officer.”
This shortage has led to an increased burden on existing personnel, with Sheriff Day and his Chief Deputy reportedly working between 14 and 20 hours daily to handle calls. The Sheriff appealed for the community’s patience, noting that “calls are up and manpower is down by 25 percent.”
The lack of personnel is also impacting critical functions, as the department currently has no dedicated transport officer. This means that deputies are diverting from their regular duties to transport inmates to and from court appearances and medical appointments.
Despite these challenges, Sheriff Day highlighted a recent success in combating crime. The department has been actively working on a large burglary ring, which has resulted in six arrests and the recovery of an estimated $70,000 to $80,000 in stolen property.
In other departmental news, the jail housed 76 inmates this morning. Of these, 66 were males and 10 were females. The inmate population also included eight Department of Corrections holds, four parole holds, and three individuals charged with Level 6 felonies.
