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Sheriff touts accomplishments of first year in office
"I feel like we had a very successful year and look forward to having even more success this year," he said. According to statistics released by the sheriff's department, 1,043 people were booked into the Washington County Jail during 2007, compared to 769 in 2006. Stringer explained that did not include tickets and arrests which are booked on the scene. Improvements cited by the sheriff included: •Adding two more deputies to the force without any extra cost to the county. •Improvement of the department's radio system from one repeater in Chatom to four repeaters throughout the county. The cost for the repeaters was approximately $40,000, which was paid for with grants and a donation from Olin Chemicals in McIntosh. The new repeaters have eliminated the need for Southern Link radios, which is an approximated $1,000 saving per month. •Every sheriff's patrol car was equipped with radar units donated to the department by the Orange Beach Police Department. Computers were also added to every car through a grant administered through the Baldwin County District Attorney's Office. Other improvements to patrol cars included new lettering, lights and push bumpers. A sport utility vehicle was added to the department's fleet to be used for transport purposes. It was donated by the Mobile County Sheriff's Office. •The number of inmate crews picking up litter along county roads was increased from one to two. The second unit, which consists of a van, driver and fuel is furnished by the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT), at no cost to the county. Six inmates are assigned to each unit. •The sheriff's department began furnishing dispatch services for the Millry Police Department, which generates $4,200 annually for the sheriff's office. In addition, the service saves the Millry Police Department money. Work release program Perhaps one of the sheriff's accomplishments he is most proud of is the development of a work release program under State Code 1975 Section 14-8- 37, which allows non-violent inmates to work, providing the employer pays at least minimum wage and provides workmen's compensation. The employer is responsible for providing transportation to and from work and providing supervision at all times. The work release program requires 25 percent of an inmate's wages to be utilized by the jail for operations and equipment. Stringer said the sheriff's department purchased mattresses, a commercial ice machine, a commercial stove, cooking utensils and maintenance, which saved the county approximately $12,000. The other 75 percent of the wages are used for medical and dental expenses of inmates, as well as to pay their restitution. Mobile command unit Most recently, Stringer announced his department will receive a mobile command unit from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) field office in Mobile. He was scheduled to meet with Special Agent in Charge Debra Mack Wednesday, Jan. 16, to complete the paperwork which will finalize the transfer of the equipment. Stringer said the command unit is equipped with four workbenches and chairs where officers can fill out paperwork, write tickets and run DUI tests. "It can also be used to temporarily hold people who are awaiting transport to the jail," he added. The outside of the trailer is equipped with a bright spotlight system that can be used to light up both sides of a four-lane highway. "It's almost like conducting a roadblock during daylight hours," said Stringer. "It allows officers to see inside vehicles as they approach the checkpoint, making it safer for them."
The command units are heated and air conditioned, providing a comfortable working environment at the scene. "We are very proud to be receiving this unit and are deeply grateful to Agent Mack and the FBI field office in Mobile for providing us with such a great piece of equipment," said the sheriff. "I strongly advocate building good relationships with other law enforcement agencies. That's the best way to get things accomplished. It has allowed us to make a lot off improvements and obtain some much needed equipment. I will continue to foster good relationships with other departments as long as I remain in office."
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