SCSO Issues 2014 Annual Report

The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office releases its annual report for 2014.

That report provides statistics in a number of areas for the Sheriff’s Office, as well as listing some of the department’s accomplishments last year and goals for this year.

One of the main numbers that stands out in the 2014 report is a 69 percent reduction in the number of burglaries reported in Stephens County.

In 2014, 135 burglaries were reported. That is compared to 440 in 2013.

Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley said that he was surprised somewhat by that steep drop.

“We attribute that huge reduction to the two additional deputies that the county commission gave us last year,” said Shirley. “We know that high-visibility patrol has proven to be effective in reducing certain types of crime, such as burglary and theft. It gives residents a sense of feeling safer. The two additional deputies, without question, attributed a lot to that.”

He also pointed an increase of about 200,000 in miles traveled in 2014 compared to 2013.

Thefts were also down in 2014. Simple assault and simple battery reports were up somewhat, as were domestic and family violence calls, animal complaints, and miscellaneous calls.

Overall, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 18,997 calls for service, down from 22,305 in 2013.

Shirley said having more deputies on the road is one reason he feels that number may be down.

“Last year was a year we had more deputies on the road,” said Shirley. “They were able to get into the neighborhoods and patrol those neighborhoods.”

Shirley also credited the Criminal Investigations Division and Captain Rusty Fulbright for its work last year.

The sheriff said that the Criminal Investigations Division closed 708 cases in 2014, more than double the 306 cases it closed in 2013.

“I have a new captain in charge of Criminal Investigations who has streamlined and professionalized the Criminal Investigations unit,” said Shirley. “They were able to clear an enormous amount of cases last year compared to the previous year.”

The total number of admissions at the jail went down to 1,486 in 2014 from 1,602 in 2013, with 2014’s average daily population at the jail standing at 133, down from 135 in 2013.

Finally, the end of the calendar year marks the halfway point of the fiscal year and Shirley said he feels good about where his office stands budget-wise.

“We continue to be under budget,” said Shirley. “We are projecting we will be under budget at year’s end.”

Shirley said other accomplishments in 2014 included carrying on the C.H.A.M.P.S. program in the elementary schools, expanding the Deputy Sheriff’s Explorer program, and working with the community on things like community watch programs.

In 2015, Shirley said his office will look to continue increasing safety checks in high-crime areas and continue focusing on drug and alcohol enforcement and education, adding that the Sheriff’s Office will soon have a DUI education unit to take into the schools.