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Seabolt offers detailed look at changes made in RCSO

Courier-Tribune - 7/13/2020

Jul. 13--ASHEBORO -- Randolph County Sheriff Greg Seabolt has released a sort of State of the Union address for the department, outlining in some detail changes made in various areas of the department.

Seabolt explains how and why changes were made in 14 areas, including switching body cameras from officers at the jail to patrol officers, savings developed from the Fleet Maintenance Facility, a switch to less lethal weapons in some situations and much more.

"We promised to be transparent," Seabolt said. "This is a way that the taxpayers can see what we're trying to do. That's one of the ways. There will be other things in the future that we're going to put out there to let the public see. This is going to be a great success when it comes to saving money.

"I would love -- I know it's 2020 -- but I would love to reduce my budget. Last year, if you compare our budget, we had to deal with COVID-19 and a lot of other things that we had to contend with that normally you wouldn't see, and we still spent less than the last three years at the sheriff's office. We're very conservative when it comes to the sheriff's office budget."

Seabolt called his report "Positive Changes at the Sheriff's Office." It's lengthy, but informative.

Fundamentals training

We had many deputies that were certified but had not been trained in the fundamentals of traffic stops or other patrol techniques. This was a huge liability risk for our county. We provided a structured fundamentals training program for each member who was assigned a patrol vehicle. This training provided the confidence needed to assist on calls as he or she would travel to and from work. This also provided more of a presence of deputies throughout the county which are seen by the public and in essence more deputies on patrol. Each one is now trained to respond to calls for service which has reduced call response times.

Paperless system

While observing several offices being filled with file cabinets, I determined it was time to scan all records pertaining to gun and concealed carry permits. We are now scanning all new applications which are saved on the county server and backed up in a digital file system. This eliminates spending on paper, toner and printing costs.

This has also opened up value officer space for our members who desperately need it. We had originally received a quote for scanning and shredding these documents by a vendor that would have costed thousands of dollars. We instead assigned this task to multiple divisions as an extra duty, costing nothing extra. The cost of the shredding was going to be another costly expense. It was estimated to be $2.29 per pound to shred these documents.

However, we found an alternative way of destroying these documents which cost the taxpayer nothing. I have also instituted paperless systems in the booking area of the detention center which opened up two additional holding cells for temporarily housing inmates. I am working on other paperless projects for the Sex Offender Registry Program and Personnel Files.

Collaboration with entities of governmental LEOs

The outdated computer system in the ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) lab was losing data during investigations and crashing multiple times throughout the workday. This information was critical in a sex cases involving children. The expense of the computer and software was over $20,000. This updated information software was critical in working these cases and had to be purchased. I contacted Homeland Security and provided an officer to assist in joint investigations in order to have the federal government purchase the computer. This provided us with the tools needed and also opened up federal resources to assist in the investigations. Homeland Security reimbursed the county for the expense of the computer because of this collaboration.

Narcan at the Jail

Due to the number of arrestees under the influence of drugs upon entering the walls of our Detention Center, we have trained all detention center staff on the use of Narcan. Many of the inmates who serve weekends as a result of sentencing report on Friday with drugs hidden in body cavities. This type of concealment is impossible for officers to locate contraband. With the implementation of Narcan and the ability to administer it, they have saved many inmates from fatal overdoses.

Less lethal weapons

We continue to observe people who are suffering from a mental disorder. This is a very volatile situation that must be handled in a sensitive manner. Our officers have participated on calls where the person wished to commit suicide by cop. Our training is clear and must not be deviated from when deadly force is exhibited. Our staff decided to purchase and utilize non-lethal shotguns that shoot bean bags or pepper rounds which are not considered deadly force. This allows an individual another opportunity to seek help from a health professional so he or she may live a normal life.

Audit of fleet

I observed that there was no system or accurate record keeping of vehicles and who they were assigned to. This created confusion when attempting to locate the vehicles that needed to be switched out due to excessive miles or which vehicles needed to be replaced.

We developed a system that identifies the assigned officer to a certain vehicle and also shows past service appointments and the work performed on the vehicle. This creates accountability for each officer and lets our staff know of any bad habits that these drivers may have. The information is used for additional driver training that some of our employees may need. This also allows our staff the ability to easily audit our fleet each year and place the older and high mileage vehicles with administrative staff members.

We always strive to place low mileage vehicles with the deputies who are patrolling our roadways to ensure they have the safest and most reliable vehicles in the fleet. This system enables our staff to keep up with our fleet in an effective and efficient manner.

Detective assigned to detention center

Assigning a detective to the detention center has reduced the number of assaults and damage caused by inmates. The detective investigates all assaults and is responsible for serving all warrants at the detention center. Having a detective assigned there creates more opportunities to assist in other criminal investigations, i.e., drugs, homicides, etc. The reduction in assaults and fights at the facility has created a safer environment for inmates and staff thereby saving costly repairs, reducing emergency room visits and our liability.

Overview of vendors at detention center

Upon taking office, my staff and I reviewed all contracts pertaining to the Sheriff's Office. We found the Oasis, Inc. contract to have many breaches from as far back as 2014. The contract addendum in 2014 indicated that there would be kiosks provided in each housing unit and the holding area which would have increased more revenue for our detention center and converted all inmate requests to paperless.

We have since ended our contract with Oasis, Inc. and signed a contract with Kimble's, Inc. By doing this, we will earn nearly 15% more commissary revenue for our county. Southern Health Partners ended their contract with our detention center due to numerous complaints from our staff that witnessed below standard work and contract breaches.

After doing research on other medical providers for the detention center, we signed a contract with MEDIKO, Inc. This resulted in a savings of over $200,000 since September of last year. We found that MEDIKO will work with Medicaid to eliminate many excessive outside medical costs that we would otherwise have to pay. This change has been pleasing to our Health Director Susan Hayes and other members of county government.

By taking a little time in researching contracts and holding the companies responsible, we have saved the county a lot of money and provided more comprehensive health care for inmates.

Body cameras from jail to patrol

We have taken all 18 body cameras previously assigned to the detention center and reassigned them to the patrol units. This gives us the ability to outfit nine deputies with body cameras during each shift while the other nine cameras are uploading footage and charging for the next shift. Body cameras were deemed as a future expense for necessary equipment needed for our officers, especially in today's climate.

We had planned to utilize drug forfeiture funds to equip our deputies due to limited funds in our budget this year. The surveillance camera system currently in our detention center serves our staff with video footage of incidents that occur in the facility. By re-appropriating this equipment, we were able to provide the necessary tool to our deputies with no additional cost to the taxpayers of this county. This equipment was purchased several years ago at a cost of over $70,000.

Volunteer Sheriff Service Officer

I initiated the volunteer program to give qualified, experienced and highly trained citizens the opportunity to assist in different areas of our office. Each volunteer must fill out an application and pass a background check and screening process. The volunteer then must participate in our Citizens Academy which explains the operations of each division of the Sheriff's Office. Many of our volunteers are past law enforcement officers who have retired from other departments. Many of these volunteers have vast experience in law enforcement and others just want to help with anything.

This program has been a hit with the volunteers who have participated in it. The retired law enforcement officer volunteers may be assigned to cold case review in reference to checking all evidence noted and setting up interviews for detectives. Volunteer Jim Owens, who retired from the FBI, stated, "This program gives me a reason to get up each morning and give back to my community." Volunteers also advocate for the Sheriff's Office with their family, friends and neighbors encouraging trust and transparency with the community.

Cell Extraction Response Team

The Randolph County Detention Center had an average population of 267 inmates just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The detention center is known for assaults, fights and other disturbances that need to be addressed in a proactive manner.

We utilize our peak shift, which has 4 members, to maintain civil order and compliance within the walls of our detention center. This team has been trained and follows policy and procedures when dealing with any inmate, but especially those who are violent and combative. The team has less-lethal shotguns that are equipped with pepper balls that help maintaining order, thereby creating a safer environment for inmates and officers. We are more likely to retain detention officers when they feel secure in the detention environment and are confident they have back-up.

This team was created with the additional detention positions allocated to us this year and has been very valuable for maintaining order in an overcrowded facility. This team also assists our Emergency Response Team when dealing with potential civil unrest, such as the most recent protests in Asheboro and Graham.

Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) training for patrol

Most patrol officers have been trained in PIT training. These techniques are used to end vehicle pursuits and apprehend subjects that will not stop for law enforcement officers. This technique has been proven to save lives by preventing dangerous situations from developing in a high speed chase. When properly applied, the amount of damage is minimal to our patrol cars and all deputies are governed by policies and procedures pertaining to the maneuver. This training potentially saves lives and protects the motoring public by ending vehicle pursuits before accidents occur.

Substance abuse counselor at detention center

The number of overdose deaths have increased significantly over the past five years. I think we need to attack this problem in three different directions.

First, we must provide education and awareness as to the harmful effects of drug use.

Second, we must provide a counselor in the detention center to guide addicts in a direction of hope. Our counselor communicates with the addicts by providing information of programs and assistance they can seek for help with this problem. This gives us an opportunity to prevent the continuous cycle of recidivism that comes with drug use. The counselor is provided to our detention center by Daymark Recovery with no expense to our budget. Daymark has also agreed to allow another counselor to work part-time at our detention center to help with this process. Both positions are funded by Sandhills through Community Reinvestment Funds at no cost to our tax payers. These counselors also address mental health issues.

Third, we must target drug dealers. I implemented the Drug Interdiction Team that concentrates on the trafficking of illegal drugs through our county. This team works closely with the Vice and Narcotics Division which enables more information of possible drug violations. This collaborative effort has produced many drug seizures, money seizures, gun seizures and arrests. Our efforts in reducing the amount of drugs getting into our children's hands have been positive and rewarding.

Fleet Maintenance Facility

The Fleet Maintenance Facility will undoubtedly be a huge savings for our taxpayers. This maintenance facility also gives us an opportunity to provide safer vehicles to our patrol deputies. The vehicles are being maintained and serviced by qualified individuals who have worked in law enforcement.

At the current time, we have members assigned to the facility that have met the requirements of a service technician. The assigned member working as the fleet maintenance facility supervisor transferred into a position already created by a past administration. This strategy saves the taxpayer money and eliminates a need to hire another person at this time.

We have contracts with vendors that are located right here in Randolph County. Mighty Auto Parts of CNC will be our parts supplier and East Coast Tires will provide our tires; they are both owned by J.P. Thomas, Inc. By utilizing these vendors, we keep revenue in Randolph County.

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