Two seek GOP nomination for Decatur Co. Sheriff
Apr. 25—GREENSBURG — In an effort to inform the voters of Decatur County about the upcoming primary election, the Daily News asked local candidates to reply to the following questions. Answers have not been edited.
Name: William (Bill) Meyerrose
Office sought: Decatur County Sheriff
Political affiliation: Republican
Qualifications/experience: 32 years in law enforcement, having served my entire career in Decatur County. I served 25 1/2 years with the Greensburg Police Dept.: five and one-half years as Chief of Police and 12 years as a detective. The last six years, I have been the investigator for the Decatur County Prosecutors Office, for a total of over 23 years in leadership and mentoring of others.
Primary issues you'd like to address: Employee turnover, proper equipment for deputies, and programs provided to inmates at the Decatur County Detention Center.
The Decatur County Sheriff's Dept. has lost approximately 40 employees under the leadership of the current Sheriff. Specifically, at least ten patrol deputies have left during that time, the majority of which had three to four years of experience. In comparison, during the same time period, the Greensburg Police Dept. lost two officers that did not retire with over 20 years of service.
I will provide even tempered leadership to all employees of the Decatur County Sheriff's Dept., listening to the employees and not demanding compliance, making them feel valued in performing their duties in extremely difficult situations. The detention center is one of the greatest liabilities for the county, with at least three inmates dying in the jail in the last three years. Training will be provided throughout the department that will be valuable in assisting the employees in completing their duties safely and effectively as well as providing for the safety of the inmates.
The state legislature deemed the issue of body worn cameras significant enough that they provided monies for local departments to purchase these cameras through a grant process. As of this time, the current Sheriff has not taken advantage of this grant. In today's law enforcement environment, body worn cameras are just as important a tool for protection as the body armor, taser or firearm worn by deputies to protect themselves and the county. These body worn cameras are now expected by the public and the courts as they provide evidence in criminal matters as well as protect deputies and local government from civil lawsuits. I will take advantage of these grants and initiate the purchase of the body worn cameras for both the patrol deputies and the detention deputies.
The Residents Encountering Christ (REC) program is a tremendous program and I will ensure that it continues in the Decatur County Detention Center. The REC program provides great value to the inmates who take advantage of it. However, we must do more by providing additional programs provided through the Jail Chemical Addiction Program (JCAP). This program has proven successful in neighboring counties and will provide inmates with another resource to use in their path to recovery from addictions. Local addiction programs provided by our community partners will also be implemented as needed for those nearing the date of their release from the Decatur County Detention Center, so their transition back into our community will be successful.
Wife: Connie
Community involvement: Decatur County Child Protection Team, Community Action Coalition and the 911 board.
Church affiliation: First Christian Church in Greensburg
How do you envision your working relationship with your opponent if you're elected? The safety and security of the citizens of Decatur County is the only mission, regardless of who is elected. I would expect every member of the Decatur County Sheriff's Dept to work together to provide the services needed to make our community the great community it is.
Contact Josie Clark at josie.clark@greensburgdailynews.com or 812-651-0873.
