Citing deputy shortage, Merced County sheriff launches online reporting of non-violent crime

The Merced County Sheriff’s Office launched an online reporting system for non-violent crimes Tuesday, as decreased staffing levels has made it difficult for deputies to respond to calls.

According to the sheriff’s office, some of the reports that will now need to be filed through the agency’s online portal include reports of forgery, fraud and identity theft, lost property, vandalism, vehicle burglary, vehicle tampering, harassing phone calls, disturbing the peace and custody order violation.

Theft reports will also need to be filed online except for theft of a firearm, motor vehicle or license plate, according to the sheriff’s office. Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke said his deputies will continue to respond to in-progress calls and calls of violent crimes.

Warnke said the online reporting of non-violent crimes is directly related to the agency’s decrease in staffing levels.

“I never thought in the 45 years I’ve been here that we would have to resort to doing something so impersonal,” said Warnke.

The sheriff’s office is currently short 21 deputies and 24 custodial deputies, according to Warnke. At any given time, there are roughly five to eight deputies patrolling the roughly 2,000 square miles of Merced County. Warnke said his agency doesn’t have enough deputies to respond to all of the calls, and he responds to in-progress calls at times when there are no deputies available.

Once an online report is successfully submitted, a temporary case number will be provided and the reporting party will be able to print a copy of the report to keep for personal records. According to the sheriff’s office, all reports filed online will be reviewed by a deputy and assigned a permanent case number if approved.

Those filing online reports may be contacted by the sheriff’s office is further investigation is needed and the online reporting system is not monitored 24 hours a day, according to the sheriff’s office.