humane society of savannah annual...

ProgramsUnlearning &DiscoveryIn 2014 the Programs unit received more than 20,000 requests.

EnforcementAlmost 3000

Warrants served

With just 35 full time Deputies, you do the math.

Corrections- With an average daily inmate count of 1491 we stay busy. ONH- Working hand in hand with

Humane Society of Savannah

All Hail the Judge-Check out the Courts division.

K9Over 10,000 Searches PreformedThis unit is made up of 10 officers and their K9 Partners.

Receiving and Discharge

The first and last impression

Booking over 17000 people in 2014

A n n u a l R e p o r t

Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, 1050 Carl Griffin Dr., Savannah, Ga., 31405 - 912-652-7600 www.chathamsheriff.org - www.facebook/chathamcountysheriff

Chatham County Sheriff’s Office

5 9 30

Dear Friends,

In 2014, we were able to fully appreciate the expansion and the new technology that has greatly improved our lives and those of the persons we have sworn to serve.

Currently, we are in the process of updating our Chatham County Sheriff’s Office and Chatham County Jail Standards and Operating Procedures manuals. With the ever changing laws, it has been a challenge to keep up with this task and I appreciate all of the staff for working so diligently to maintain these documents. As you can see, our inmate programs have continued to grow and we are showing marked success with not only

our Operation New Hope program, but our GED and Drug and Alcohol Treatment programs as well. There are twelve valuable programs within this unit and they are not a burden on the taxpayer, but are paid for by commissions from commissary and telephone time sales.

I entered my 56th year in law enforcement in 2014 and have spent 23 of those years as your Sheriff. I wish to thank the Chatham County Commission, County Manager, and most of all the citizens of Chatham County who have put their trust in me all of these years.

Since `732

16

24

12

15

25

Cadet ProgramTo help students transition into a career in corrections.

Honor GuardRepresenting the CCSO with honor and dignity.

Street OperationsThe Street Operations Unit Responsible for all civil processes, subpoenas and criminal warrants.

ExplorersExplorer Post 876 started in 1986 and are the law enforcement branch of the Boy Scouts.

RED BORDERSCCSO Annual Report

Sex Offender Registry TeamTracking over 600 sex offenders in Chatham County.

2014 Annual Report updated March 2015 by Gena Bilbo.

Special thanks to Maj. Middleton, Sgt. Williams, Cpl. Bryant, Kendra Crawford and Stephanie Bush.

Mission StatementWe, the members of the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office are committed to

enforcing state law and providing the finest public safety services to

the people of Chatham County.

Our mission is to protect the judiciary, execute orders of the courts, support

our law enforcement partners and provide for the care, custody and control

of legally incarcerated inmates.

As representatives of the first Sheriff’s Office in Georgia we will execute

these duties with professionalism, integrity, and compassion.

2014

Fast FactsHere are some interesting facts about the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office. * The Chatham County

Sheriff’s Office Employs just over 600 deputies, officers,

civilians and contract employees.

* Founded in 1732, the CCSO was the first law

enforcement agency in the state of Georgia.

*The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office is divided

into two bureaus- Corrections and

Enforcement.

*The adopted budget for 2014-2015 fiscal year

53,678,600.00

68% = Percentage of inmates in the Chatham County Jail that are felons with prior arrests in Chatham County.

$70.00 = Approximate cost to taxpayers for housing an inmate in the Chatham County Detention Center.

17,325 = Number of men and women booked in the Chatham County Detention Center in 2014.

1491 = Average daily inmate count.

609 = Registered sex offenders now living in Chatham County.

3451 = Number of individuals arrested by the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office in 2014.


Annual Report 2014

An Inmate and Lieutenant talk after a request is made by the inmate regarding some issues in the unit.

CorrectionsServing and protecting

1458

.97

1489

.55

1448

.44

1426

.96

1488

.86

1505

.48

1527

.48

1558

.65

1532

.96

1497

.33

1507

.47

1453

.63

1350

1400

1450

1500

1550

1600

Inmate Count Daily Average *The average daily inmate count is 1491.36

.* More than 60% of the inmates housed at the Chatham County Detention Center have prior arrests in Chatham County.

*Eighty-five percent of the men and women housed at the detention center are awaiting court appearances. The remaining 15% have been convicted and are awaiting transfer to the state system.

* The Chatham County Detention Center has maintained national accreditation by the American Correctional Association for nearly three decades. The detention center is now accredited by the Medical Association of Georgia.

* The average daily corrections staff is 50-60 officers.

* The facility has eight units that are direct supervision and one that is lateral supervision.

* Seventy- four percent of corrections employees are minorities and 43% are females.* The average daily corrections staff is 50-60 officers.

* The year 2014 marked the Dedication of the Jail and the opening of the new Programs and Staff Lounge areas. The expansion project added 400,000 square feet, making the facility nearly a million square feet, and brought the total number of inmates beds to 2,300, nearly double the previous capacity. The security was also upgraded with additional camera systems. The facility now has 722 cameras throughout.

Mental Health

Nationwide jails and prisons are treating more and more mentally ill individuals while these facilities were not designed to be treatment providers; they have become defacto mental health providers. As such our Mental Health team attends to any and all mental health needs that arise in the Chatham County Detention Center. There are multiple levels of care provided:

• Initial Mental Health Evaluation• Individualized Treatment Plan development and implementation• Crisis assessment and intervention• Suicide prevention and treatment• Group and individual counseling• Treatment team collaboration• Ongoing assessment and evaluation of mental health needs, as deemed necessary• Referral to outside providers, if deemed clinically necessary* In 2014 there were 4164 initial evaluations done and 2674 follow-ups with a Doctor.

Social Services

The Social Services Department provides case management and aftercare services for the inmate population. The Social Services Counselors maintain effective working relationships with other county employees, referral agencies, client families and other community resources and the general public.

The Social Services Counselors work with detainees to develop specific plans to avoid the problems that brought them into the system; such as living skills, problem solving and decision making. The Counselors provide follow up services and support as necessary, including arranging for detainees to have contact with DFCS, Parole, Probation and other government agencies.

The counselors provide support to enable detainees to help themselves and be self-sufficient when released. Notification is given to the Health Staff by Social Services if a detainee is identified as suicidal and precautions are immediately initiated according to policy and procedure.

1,490,797.131,549,055.77

3,955,253.12

5,493,143.80

31,609,720.40

Overall Total Budget

UtilitiesFoodMiscMedicalPersonnel


Annual Report 2014

Servsafe- Food handling certification

Work Release

* In 2012 the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) established a public/private partnership with Promise Land Community Development Corporation (PLCDC), a non-profit corporation, to develop and manage the Community Work Release Program (CWRP). Over a two year period, the PLCDC developed processes and procedures for the efficient operational planning and implementation of the program. In 2014, the CWRP successfully processed 84 inmate participants through pre-employment training and securing employment with local employers.

In 2015, the CCSO’s Community Work Release Program (CWRP) will be fully staffed with in-house personnel as preparations are being made to restructure Unit 5 as a minimum security unit housing inmates in the Inmate Worker Program, Operation New Hope and then CWRP. The CWRP gives participants an opportunity to pay their debts to society through gainful employment in the community.

Inmates who qualify for the program receive extensive pre-employment training, behavioral and substance abuse counseling, life skills assistance and the opportunity to build an effective community support network before their release. Inmates who are already employed, may be “fast tracked” in their training to hold onto their existing jobs, when appropriate.

Since the program’s inception, the CWRP has added several different components such as Operation New Hope and the Inmate Worker Program, which has allowed the program to double in size. In 2015, the program will be able to host over 75 participants and will continue to grow.

Residents contribute 15 percent of their gross income to Chatham County to help cover costs associated with the program. They are also required to pay any court stipulated payments such as child support, fines and fees.

Candidates for the CWRP are screened carefully before being admitted. If accepted, they participate in a pre-employment seminar that covers effective job search strategies, completing job applications, resume writing, effective interviewing and how to handle inquiries about their criminal history. New in 2015 participants will also have the opportunity to attend substance abuse and proper food handling classes to become Serv-Safe Certified.

We now have collaboration with several of the accountability courts in Chatham County—Child Support Court, DUI Court, Drug Court, and Veterans Court. This engagement allows the CWRP to serve as an expanded option for judges presiding over these courts whereby court ordered sanctions can be applied to particular cases without the offender losing employment. Thus far, this collaboration has led to many outcomes that facilitate the appropriate punishment for crimes committed while preserving jail beds for those who truly need to be incarcerated.

2014

ProgramsReducing recidivism

*The mission of the program unit is to reduce recidivism by providing quality programs and services to the inmate population to assist them with a successful reentry into society.

*The Objective is to establish a firm transitional bridge for the detainees; to productively help them re-enter the community with the least number of barriers impacting a person with a criminal history (employment, housing, education and treatment) *The Programs Department has more than 75 volunteers and contracted service providers that teach, mentor and counsel inmates.

*In 2014 the programs department received over 20,896 requests for service; the most popular being chaplaincy and substance abuse.

*No tax payer money is used to pay for inmate programs or for the Work Release Program. Programs are paid for through the inmate welfare trust fund.

New and current programs

Inmate Programs

* Alcoholics Anonymous

* Barbering Services

* Chaplaincy

* Computer Skills

* GED

* HDH Addiction Services

* Inmate Worker

* Law Library

* Life Skills

* Operations New Hope

* Substance Abuse

* Work Release

ONH has helped rescue nearly 400 dogs since its inception in 2012. They received a grant in 2014 from Pedigree Dog food that has helped expand the program.


Annual Report 2014

Operation New HopeGiving hope to the hopeless

* ONH began in April 2012.This is a program that allows inmates to train unadoptable dogs from the Humane Society of Greater Savannah. * The goal of ONH is to reduce the recidivism by helping inmates learn a new skill and help previously unadoptable dogs find new homes. * Since the inception of ONH the euthanasia rate has continued to decrease each year. * Every 4 weeks 12 inmates (6) women and (6) men are selected to train a new class of dogs. Females were added to the program in 2014 thanks to a grant from Pedigree. * The dogs stay with the inmates 24 hours a day even living in the cell with them. * Since the inception of the program 198 dogs have graduated from the program, that translates into 396 lives saved. Each dog that is housed in the facility is the equivalent of two lives saved because the dog housed at the facility is opening up a space that would have been otherwise occupied.

2014 STATS

60 Total dogs graduated 56 Dogs adopted

4 Dogs were from ASPCA’s largest dog fight bust 4 Dogs with severe medical issues were

able to be treated because of ONH.

Georgia Chief of Police Award The Dr. Curtis McClung Award

2014

C.E.R.T.Corrections Emergency Response Team

* The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office created the Corrections Emergency Response Team in 2008.

Comprised of 22 men and two women.

*Their mission is to prevent attacks and injuries to officers, staff, inmates and other persons.

* Performs interior and exterior inspections of cells to prevent escapes and contraband.

*Respond day or night to any riot or hostage situation. Tema members are on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

* Conducts unannounced shakedowns in the inmate housing unit throughout the year.

* During shakedowns, officers have found and seized contraband items such as shanks, marijuana and cigarettes.

* CERT assisted with relocating over 1000 inmates during the ongoing construction at the facility.


Annual Report 2014

Video VisitationVisits without security risks

6208

6448

6848

7131 7119

6797

7150

6517

6633

6470

6295

6964

5600

5800

6000

6200

6400

6600

6800

7000

7200

7400

Num

ber o

f Visi

tors

Total Visitors 73,616

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

*In 2012 the Chatham County Detention Center built a video visitation center adjacent to the jail.

* Inmates are able to visit loved ones without the security risks associated with face to face visits.

* Inmates remain in their housing units and conduct their visits from the visitation area.

* The video visitation center is open seven days a week from 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. The inmate visitation schedule is posted on the sheriff’s official website.

* Cashier booths are located in the main lobby. This is where you can pay fines or leave money for an inmate. The Jail ATM is also located in the lobby and available online at www.jailatm.com.

Total visitors in 2014 = 73, 616

2014

CADETS Spencer Graham , Bradley McClellan

and Shaun Sanders receive their CADET

epaulets from Deputy Guthery

during their BJOT graduation in August

of 2014.

PINNEDCadet Bradley McCellan is being pinned by Deputy Guthery along with Sheriff Al St Lawrence at his April Basic jail Officer pinning ceremony.

Cadet ProgramRecruiting the best and brightest

The mission of the Cadet Program is to provide college students a quality educational and leadership development program while creating qualified professional employees for the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office.

* Benefits for the student- Opportunity for full time employment- Development of skills and knowledge- Community service opportunities- Flexible work schedule- Financial assistance- Work experience- Established career path- Networking opportunities- Leadership development- Guaranteed employment upon successful completion

* Work Schedule Cadets will work a minimum of 16 hours per week and no more than 50 hours per 80 hour pay period. Cadets must have the ability and willingness to work in ALL areas of corrections Cadets should be flexible and willing to work days, nights, weekends and holidays

* Training-In addition to college courses cadets must complete Basic Jail Officer TrainingCadets receive 20 hours of in-service training a year-Training available through online courses, class room lecture and roll call briefing.

* Screening Process-Interview-Polygraph-Background Investigation-Comprehensive medical and drug screen-Physical Training-Academic Records-Letters of Recommendation

Are you eligible? Applicant must be a United States Citizen

Applicant must be 19 years of age at the time of application

Applicant must possess a high school diploma or GED

Applicant must be attending an accredited College or University with at least 24 hours of completed study

Applicant must possess a valid drivers license

Applicant must not be a convicted felon

Applicant must maintain an overall GPA of 2.3 or higher to remain an eligible Cadet


Annual Report 2014

Support StaffProviding professional services to inmates

There are programs offered to inmates at their request. Some of the programs available to inmates are GED, Chaplaincy, Substance Abuse, Recreation, Inmate Legal Research, Barbershop, Work Release, and Operation New Hope.

*ABL staff supervises inmate workers in the preparation of meals.

*Corizon Health provides medical, mental and dental services to inmates

*Oasis Commissary provides inmates with name brand snacks and hygiene items.

*Paytel is the provider of the phone service that inmates use to contact their loved ones.

*Promise Land operated the work release program in 2014.

*HDH Addiction Services offers a substance abuse program.

*Coastal Jail Ministries offers the chaplaincy program.

*Savannah Tech offers the GED program and UGA Cooperative as well as the Chatham County Health Department also offer support services to the facility. Profits generated from sales with Oasis and Paytel goes in the Inmate Welfare fund.

*The total number of services provided to inmates for 2014 was 20,520.

January, 191,554 February,

154,338March, 152,017

April, 152,324

May, 195,793

June, 158,837

July, 192,883

August, 204,240

September, 159,481

October, 199,019

November, 154,624

December, 155,600

Inmates placed 60, 843 commissary orders in 2014.Inmates placed an average of 5,070 orders per month.

Inmates without funds are authorized to receive hygiene, legal and undergarments on a limited basis.

Hygiene 4,219 Legal 10,064 Clothing 14,963

In 2014, inmates made and completed 1,985,374 phone calls.

Inmates are provided three

meals daily. Two hot meals (breakfast

and dinner) and one cold meal at

lunch. During 2014 inmates were served

2,070,710 meals.

2014

Corizon Health Services provides medical, and mental care for all inmates who enter the Chatham County Detention Center. Services that are provided are sick call, chronic care treatment, dental treatment and physicals.

All inmates receive a physical within 14 days of incarceration. Inmates may be placed on sick call at their request or because of a medical emergency that may have occurred.The number of physicals received in2014 was 4,445.

* The number of inmates seen on sick call or chronic care was 6,518.

* The number of inmates seen on dental call was 678.

250

384 392 423361

406

479

434

316

381

279

350

569

506

447

943

623

571 585

639

448 458

329

400

49 4678

[VALUE] 46 5472 67 67

53 46 55

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

Physicals Sick Call /Chronic Care Dental Sick Call

Recreation services are a part of the day to day

operations of the facility. The yard pictured is in the oldest part of the

detention center and still offers inmates the opportunity to be outdoors . The

towers actually have enclosed recreation yard. For more on Programs see Pg

______


Annual Report 2014

Street OperationsServing civil processes, subpoenas and criminal warrants.

Deputy Jelks serves a subpoenato a Chatham County resident.

* There are currently 35 deputies assigned to Street Operations.

* Seven deputies are currently assigned as liaisons to the Chatham- Savannah Counter Narcotics Team, U.S. Marshal Regional Task Force Fugitive Squad and the Drug Enforcement Administration Regional Task Force.

* Even though a small unit the Street Operations Unit boasted the second highest arrest rate in Chatham County.

* At the end of 2014 there were 7791 outstanding warrants outstanding at the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office. Everyday Street Operation Deputies are assigned new warrants to serve.

2014

Deputy Jelks serves a subpoenato a Chatham County resident.

*The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit is comprised of 16 active members. Every member is post certified law enforcement officer. * Reserve Deputies volunteer to work a minimum of 8 hour each month which equals 96 hours a year. * In 2014 reserve deputies worked an average of 270 hours.* Reserve deputies work primarily alongside full time deputies.* Reserve deputies participated in dozens of youth outreach events and visited schools. The CCSO has five reserve deputies that are POST instructors and cross trained as corrections officers.

Reserve Unit

Reserve Deputy DeMaio works a drug take back event in front of CVS in Savannah.

2014= 609 REGISTERED sex offenders in Chatham County

2014= 89 NEW sex offenders to Chatham County

2014= 84 sex offenders LEFT Chatham County

2014= 134 sex offenders ARRESTED in Chatham County 2014= 134 sex offenders ARRESTED in Chatham County

SORTSex Offender Registration and Tracking Unit

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Sex Offender Registration and Tracking Unit SORT is tasked by the state of Georgia to keep close tabs on the 609 registered sex offenders who live in Chatham County and is part of Street Operations.

* All sex offenders are required by law to register within 72 hours prior to their birthday, moving or taking a new job.

* Each Year the SORT Unit performs at least four residence checks on each offender in Chatham County to verify their status. The state requires only one check.

* Four deputies and an administrative assistant are assigned to this unit. The SORT unit boasts a 100% conviction rate of sex offenders who fail to register.

* In 2011 SORT made 100 binders containing photographs of all sex offenders in Chatham County. They were distributed to local schools and are updated regularly.

2014= 1338 RESIDENCE checks performed in Chatham County.

Who is your neighbor? WWW.SORT.CHATHAMSHERIFF.ORG


Annual Report 2014

Project LifesaverProviding peace of mind

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office was the first agency in Coastal Empire to provide Project Lifesaver to our community; joining in 2009.

The Project Lifesaver program aids victims and families suffering Alzheimer's disease and related disorders such as Down's syndrome and Autism. Project Lifesaver uses state-of-the-art wristband transmitters to locate wandering and lost adults and children.Currently there are approximately 6,000 men and women in Chatham County who are effected by Alzheimer’s or dementia. National statistics show 1 in 100 children suffer from Autism.

BENEFITS

* Quick recovery of missing person. * Reduces the manpower and man-hours needed for a search.* Shows law enforcement agency is proactive to community’s need.* Promoting your agency and city as a “Project Lifesaver” community can boost tourism.* Project Lifesaver participant forms a bond with the officer or deputy assigned to them.

Project Lifesaver currently has 30 clients and with funding can grow to 50. Since 2009 we have trained 7 additional agencies in the program. Anyone interested in the program can contact CCSO at 912-652-7622 or email Lt Leggett - [email protected].

2014

K 9Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Regional K-9 Unit

CCSO K-9’S.Xena

FreddyBlitzTapaTusi

BulletKeraLargoIlse

*The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit is comprised of 10 deputies, one reserve deputy and nine dogs. *The German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois and Labrador Retrievers on the CCSO K-9 Unit preform school searches, security sweeps, search warrants, traffic safety checks and respond to bomb threats.* Two K-9’s are assigned to the Criminal Interdiction Unit; in 2014 they seized nearly $72,000 in drugs and U.S. Currency.*Three deputies are assigned to a Drug Interdiction Unit; they seized $572,315.00 in U.S. Currency and a street value of $1,028,135.00 in narcotics. *The K-9 unit is funded by two federal grants; The Homeland Security Grant and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant. That funding comes to the Sheriff’s Office through the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and the Georgia Department of Public Safety.

A Georgia State Patrol Captain oversees the K-9 Unit and administers the grant. * As directed by the grant the CCSO K-9 unit offers free explosive and narcotic handler training to K-9 officers all over the southeast. *The CCSO K-9 Unit performed 4,059 searches in 2014; of those 3,582 narcotic searches, 348 explosive searches, 129 weapons searches and 57 school searches. The K-9 Unit seized a combination of $625,355.00 in U.S. Currency and a street value of $1,140,740.54 in narcotics.

Fast Facts: The k-9 unit did 16 public demonstrations in 2014, assisted 45 outside agencies and seized 11 guns and over a million dollars in narcotics.


Annual Report 2014

Internal AffairsFact Finders

Internal Affairs is responsible for conducting all background investigations for the Sheriff’s Office as well as for the entire county. Currently IA is ran by a Lieutenant, a Sergeant is the assistant Commander of the Unit and has five assigned investigators. In addition to the sworn positions, IA has two administrative assistants. During 2014, they conducted approximately 700 background investigations.

Intelligence UnitThe Intelligence Unit was formed and in 2014 and consists of two analysts. Below is a graph outlining the amount

of work they contributed to the District Attorney’s Office and other agencies in the area. They assist in monitoring and disseminating intelligence information

from various sources within the Detention Center. This type of intelligence has

resulted in numerous criminal convictions and negotiated plea agreements versus

lengthy court trials.

0

100

200

SCM

PDDE

ADA

CNT

FBI

CCSO

CCSO

-IA

ATF

TYBE

E

SORT

PubD

ef

Sav

Fire

GCPD

Othe

r

Port

s

PWPD

PCPD

Out o

f Sta

te

189

572

5 2 18 11 1 1 15 1 1 257 12 5 11 12

2014 INTELLIGENCE ASSISTS TOTAL

IA also conducts all internal investigations and has conducted several criminal investigations relating to crimes occurring on our property or criminal offenses involving employees and inmates.

In 2014 IA conducted 76 investigations and answered an additional 63 complaints from citizens, inmates, and other persons.

2014

A Criminal Investigations Unit was formed in July which is comprised of two criminal investigators. Since then CID has conducted 26 criminal investigations which include a large scale identity/transaction card fraud case, possession of controlled substances, theft of mislaid property, assaults on both inmates and staff, sexual assaults, aggravated child molestation, destruction of government property, and aggravated stalking.

The Criminal Investigations Unit was in the news for months in 2014, trying to capture suspects in the “ jury duty scam”. Numerous search warrants were required to obtain the evidence needed in each case. Evidence developed in these investigations revealed the source of the calls were being made from inside prisons within the state of Georgia. Further information revealed state prisoners were making these calls to all victims who were victims of the fraud. The CIU worked hand in hand with the Department of Corrections and FBI to gather information and make arrests.In July of 2014, the ring leader, Lancaster Graham Jr. was located and arrested on two felony warrants for financial card fraud and identity fraud in Houston County Georgia. Two additional arrests were made in the case. It involved 15 victims and a grand total of $34,580.00 in stolen funds.

Criminal InvestigationsProblem Solvers


Annual Report 2014

Reserve UnitTransportMoving over 10,000 inmates a year

The Transport Unit is responsible for shuttling inmates to and from state prison systems, other county jails, courts, hospitals and mental health facilities.

The Transport Unit logs thousands of miles each year driving the five mile stretch of interstate 16 transporting inmates from the jail to the judicial courthouse in downtown Savannah.

The Transport Unit is comprised of 10 deputies and 12 vehicles.

In 2014 the transport unit drove to 34 states around the United States to pick up 150 wanted persons. During the same time there were 161 individuals arrested in Chatham County on out of state warrants.

The Transport Unit can transport inmates on commercial airlines if the inmate is coming from a long distance and there is a time constraint on getting them to court. Number of inmates transported to outside facilities

Receiving and DischargeThe first and last impression

0

941

69

573

590

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

Coastal Transitional Center

Georgia State Prison

Coastal State Prison

Other Counties Outside

Number of Inmates transported to courtSuperior Court 4728State Court 1309Recorders 3704Magistrate 85

Total 9826

Superior 48%

State 14%

Recorder's37%

Magistrate1%

Courts

2014

The Chatham County Receiving and Discharge Unit is responsible for booking every individual who is brought to the Chatham County Detention Center, storing the inmates property and handling all video arraignments with the courts.

* Twenty -Seven deputies and corrections officers work in the booking area with five civilians.

* In 2014 17,299 people were booked into the Chatham County Detention Center; on average that’s 1,689 a month and 55 a day. During special events such as St. Patricks Day that number could double.

* Booking photographs are taken of everyone who has been arrested. Last year House Bill 845 was passed in Georgia and mugshots are no longer available to the general public; however the news media still gathers them and is able to distribute them.

Check us out online

WWW.CHATHAMSHERIFF.ORG

Receiving and DischargeThe first and last impression

2014= Deputies booked 12,968 males and 4331 females into the Chatham County Detention Center

2014= Over 6000 arrestees were between the ages of 20-29.

2014= 17,299 inmates were booked and 17,225 were discharged.

2014 Arrests by demographic= Black 10,152, White 6069, Hispanic 919, Asian 59, Indian 34, Islander 21, American Indians 13, Unknown 29.


Annual Report 2014

Honor GuardHonor and dignity

ExplorersProudly serving since 1986

In 2014, The Chatham County Sheriff’ Office Honor Guard entered its 23 year and conducted 28 missions to include five Savannah area parades, presiding at several funerals and posting the colors at numerous law enforcement events such as Savannah’s annual Police Memorial Day Ceremony, the 200 Club’s Savannah Mile walk/run, and all CCSO Awards Ceremonies.

2014

ExplorersProudly serving since 1986

Explorer Post 876 began at the CCSO in 1986. Explorer Posts are a law enforcement branch of the Boy Scouts of America.

* Explorer Post 876 is managed by Cpl. Rhonda Bryant-Elleby, a team of 12 advisors and several other trainers and volunteers.

* There are currently 20 young men and women participating in Explorer Post 876. There are 13 boys and seven girls and they represent nearly every public and private high school in Chatham County.

* The CCSO’s explorers train in Bomb Threat/ response, warrant Service, Accident Investigation, Unknown Trouble and much more.

* Explorers must be between the ages of 14-20 and meet several academic and character requirements. To apply visit: http://explorers.chathamsheriff.org

* Explorers participate in a wide range of fund raisers. They also perform community service and help charitable organizations like the Georgia Sheriff’s Association’s Youth Homes and delivering Christmas stockings to residents at Signature Healthcare of Savannah. .

* CCSO Explorers compete with other Explorers across the country at events like Winterfest in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Summerfest in Savannah.

* In the 2014 Winterfest competitions the explorers placed 1st in Bomb Threat and Caving , 2nd in uniform competition and Talent. Sumerfest will be hosted in Savannah by the CCSO in July.


Annual Report 2014

Training and RecruitingRecruiting the best and brightest

* The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office has 39 state certified instructors.

* The certifications cover General Instruction, Firearms, Taser, Less-Lethal Weapons, Crime Scene Management, Felony Task Force Management, Incident Command, Emergency Medical, Defensive Tactics, Speed Detection, Hazardous Materials, Driver Training, and Multi-Jurisdictional Major Case Management.

* The first two years of each new correctional officers career is spent in the detention center. After at least two years of service they are eligible to attend a Law Enforcement Academy to become a sworn, certified Deputy Sheriff.

* More than 30 local, state and federal agencies utilize the CCSO Firing Range. In 2014, over 9000 officers attended training at the CCSO.

*In 2014, 1820 law enforcement officers completed firearms qualifications at the CCSO range.

* All law enforcement certified staff receive a minimum of 20 hours of training annually to meet the State of Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training requirements. New officers must complete a two week Basic Jail Officer Course followed by three weeks of training on defensive tactics, firearms, security issues, policies and procedures and shadow work. They then spend two weeks with a Field Training Officer.

* CCSO firearms instructors offer a basic gun safety class for civilians on the third Saturday of every month from 8 a.m. until noon. In 2014, more than 68 people from the Coastal Empire completed this course.

2014

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office is always accepting applications from individuals who are interested in pursuing an exciting and challenging career in criminal justice.The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office is always accepting applications from individuals who are interested in pursuing an exciting and challenging career in criminal justice.

* The Sheriff’s Office provides the opportunity for its officers to gain personal achievement, recognition, advancement and personal growth while protecting and serving the community.

* The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Agency wide, 52 percent of the sworn officers and deputies are minorities and 30 percent are women.

* The Sheriff’s Office offers opportunities for men and women to work in Street Operations, K-9, Court Services, Training and Corrections.

* Chatham County provides all of its employees with excellent health insurance, great retirement benefits, annual leave, advance training and job satisfaction. Military veterans are encouraged to apply.

* Applications are available on line at www.chathamsheriff.org/careers.

* Anyone interested in learning more about a career at the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office can email the recruiting staff at [email protected] or call 912.652.7773.

The acclaimed docu-drama Lockup filmed in Savannah at our facility for almost 4 months. Starting in October and ending in January of 2015. The air dates for the show had not been announced at press time but we expect to see our 6 episodes near the end of 2015. We hope the national exposure will assist us in our recruitment efforts.


Annual Report 2014

Community OutreachTargeting the youth of our community

Sheriff St Lawrence and the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office are heavily involved in the community and have helped more than a dozen local charities including the United Way, 200 Club of the Coastal Empire, March of Dimes, Cystic Fibrosis, The Alzheimer’s Associations, Youth Futures and the Georgia Sheriff’s Association Youth Homes. Here are some of the highlights from 2014.

* The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office sponsored a Poker Run for 14 years and in 2015 will host the first annual Jail Break Mud Challenge to raise money for the Georgia Sheriff’s Association Youth Homes. * In 2014 CCSO employees raised over $20,000 for the United Way of the Coastal Empire.

* In 2014 the CCSO hosted the 2nd annual Safety Expo/ bike rodeo and recruitment fair. *For Halloween, the Sheriff and two dozen deputies took part in Operation Candy Patrol. They patrolled several Chatham County neighborhoods and passed out candy and reflective bracelets to the children. * For nearly a decade the Sheriff has partnered with the International Longshoremen’s Association to collect food for needy families for Thanksgiving.* We also raise money for the March of Dimes by allowing civilians at the Sheriff’s to pay $1 to wear jeans to work. * The CCSO participates in many community events and hopes to form the “ Jr Deputy” Program as part of the Summer Bonanza in 2015.

The United Way’s theme this year included a visit from Wonder Woman. We had our own wonder woman too, Colonel Counihan took one for the team and dressed up if we got 100% participation. Colonel Gilberg also got in the spirit by shaving his head for the cause.

200 helmets were distributed at the 2014 Safety Expo

2014

In August CCSO hosted a school supply giveaway

TOURSTours are conducted

throughout the year on the first and last Tuesday of the Month. To set one up or for more information contact:

or 652-7606

SCHOOL SUPPLIESThe CCSO hosted a school supply giveaway at Sk8 City in Pooler and gave away over 200 backpacks with supplies.

Teen Maze 2014

Candy was distributed to over a dozen neighborhoods by deputies on

Halloween


Annual Report 2014

CourtsProviding a safe environment.

The mission of the Chatham County Sheriffs Office Court Services Division is to provide a safe and protected environment for county employees and visitors of our county courthouses, as wellas the Pete Liakakis Govemment Building, and to protect the integrity of the court process. Thisis accomplished through the use of technology, the deployment of well-trained deputies, securitypersonnel, and by encouraging all occupants of county buildings to move to a higher level ofawareness and vigilance. Courthouse Security officers are expected to be courteous andprofessional to all persons entering our facilities.

Courthouse Security Officers are the first line of defense against security threats atour three county courthouse buildings and the Liakakis Building. Officers arelocated at the Juvenile Courthouse on Carl Griflin Drive. the Judicial Courthouseon Montgomery Strcet, the Administrative Courthouse on Bull Street, and the Pete Liakakis Govemment Building on West Oglethorpe Avenue.

Visitors and employees are carefully screened as they enter and pass through a security checkpoint. Personal items such as purses, briefcases, backpacks, and laptop computers pass through an X-ray machine while each visitor walks through a magnetometer. Individual screening with a hand wand is common when the magnetometer alerts an officer. Security checkpoints are also located on the 2nd and 4th floors of the Judicial

Courthouse.

Courthouse Security Officers play an important role during emergency evacuations and clearing the courthouse in the event of a bomb threat, lock down, or fire. These officers man the Control Room where they monitor by radio the movement of deputies transporting inmates within the courthouse. control Room officers monitor up to 30 security cameras inside and outside of the courthouses. Courthouse Security Officers work hand in-hand with court Services deputies and supervisors in keeping our county buildings safe for employees and visitors alike.

2014

Contact InformationAl St [email protected]

Col. Brian M. CounihanEnforcement [email protected]

Major Russell SmithAsst Admin Enforcement [email protected]

Major Kimberly MiddletonJail [email protected]

Major Gloria [email protected]

Roy J. HarrisChief [email protected]

Col. Thomas GilbergJail [email protected]

Ms. Melissa KohneAsst. Jail Administrator912.652.7702 [email protected]

FIND US ONLINE AT WWW.CHATHAMSHERIFF.ORG OR ON FACEBOOK AT FACEBOOK/CHATHAMSHERIFF

The final word from Chief Deputy Roy Harris.....

When I went to the GBI academy four decades

ago, we were told we would face many

changes in our careers. Many things did

change, some for the good, and some bad.

We were told then we were the "Guardians of

Society". That sounded a little strange to me

at the time. But, I still remember it, through all

the changes time has handed us.

Author Steven Covey said in his book The

Nobility of Policing "In Plato's version of a

perfect society-in a republic that honors

the core of democracy-the greatest

amount of power is give to those called

the Guardians. Only those with the most

impeccable character are chosen to bear the

responsibility of protecting the democracy.

We in law enforcement are still guardians

and swore an oath to protect and serve the

public. That duty has not changed, nor should

it. Good character and personal integrity still

count. Protecting the constitutional rights of

all people is still our mission. Let's keep that

our core mission!

RJ Harris

Chatham County Sheriff’s Office1050 Carl Griffin DriveSavannah, GA 31405

912.652.7600www.chathamcounty.org

www.facebook.com/chathamcountysheriff

humane society of savannah annual...

Documents