Monthly Report for September 2022
Dear Citizens,
I would personally like to thank the members of our commissioners' court and our citizens for supporting a pay increase for the officers of the NCSO that went into effect October 1, 2022. Law enforcement agencies as a whole across this country are facing many issues and complicated challenges in continuing their day to day operations. I can more than assure you that locally it has become increasingly more and more difficult to retain qualified officers and maybe even more difficult to recruit new officers to the law enforcement profession. One thing is for certain, we must remain competitive in salary at the NCSO or risk losing our qualified officers or potential recruits to other area law enforcement agencies. It is, and always has been, our desire to become and stay fully staffed so that we may continue delivering the level of service that our citizens deserve.
"Thank you" to the members of the Corsicana Freedom Flag Committee for hosting the 21st Anniversary 9/11 Remembrance ceremony at Bunert Park in Corsicana on Sunday, September 11th. I was honored to be a guest speaker along with several other community leaders. Thanks to those who attended, were involved and hosted the event and to all those who live on honoring and remembering those who sacrificed. We should never forget the horrific events of that day and the thousands of citizens who lost their lives not just on that day, but every day since battling the war on terrorism. God bless them and God Bless these United States of America.
The Navarro County Sheriff's Office participated in this years Red Cross Blood Drive Battle of the Badges for Navarro County. We "Protect and Serve" our community in many ways. I am proud to see our officers contribute and be of assistance to this potential lifesaving worthy cause.
Beginning Friday October 7th and continuing each Friday in October, we will recognize Breast Cancer Awareness month by wearing pink at the NCSO. We honor those in the fight, the survivors and those taken by the dreaded disease. As many of you may know, this cause is near and dear to my heart as my wife Mandy was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004. I'm proud and blessed to say I still have her as she is now a 18 year breast cancer survivor.
In the last week of September with beautiful fall weather and cooler temps, we introduced some of our inmate farm trustees to the almost forgotten profession of hauling square bale hay to support our estray program. This hay will help feed or estray livestock on our county farms during the winter months.
We held a retirement celebration for our communications officer Debbie Bennett. We want to congratulate Debbie on her retirement after serving our citizens for over 17 years as a dispatcher at the NCSO. We wish you all the very best Debbie, enjoy your retirement and thank you again for your dedication and service.
This month we report numerous personnel changes at the NCSO and would like to say congratulations to the following: Deputy Ismael Esparza who transferred from courthouse security to patrol, Deputy Dylan Thompson on successfully completing our patrol field training program and who was originally assigned to courthouse security but has now been transferred to the patrol division. Deputy Jose Martinez successfully completed our patrol FTO program and has now assumed his assignment in courthouse security, Deputy Joshua Thornburg completed patrol FTO program and is now assigned to patrol division and Patrol Sergeant Travis Thurston was promoted to Sergeant in our Criminal Investigation Division.
We welcome back and congratulate our newest NCSO correctional officer Barron Hall who has over four years of previous correctional experience at the NCSO under a previous administration, Kevin Bailey has been hired on as a Patrol Deputy and comes to us with several years of police experience from the Corsicana Police Department as well as Steven Travis, hired as a Patrol Deputy and who also comes to us with several years of police experience from the Corsicana Police Department. Finally Corporal Matt Porter who was promoted to Sergeant in our patrol division. Again we want to congratulate each one of our officers who was transferred and promoted in addition to also welcoming all our new officers to the NCSO.
The NCSO proudly participated in numerous community events throughout the county this month:
Deputies Esparza and Thompson participated in the Navarro County Fallen Officers Fund Car Show and Auction, Captain Cagle and Deputy Devorak attended and visited with folks at the Jose Navarro Elementary Color Fun Fundraiser and Sergeant Travis Thurston represented us well in the NCSO Frost and Dawson homecoming parades.
I was glad to take part in not only watching the Dawson Bulldogs win over the Hubbard Jaguars but also had a great time seeing lots of old friends at the Dawson homecoming game. Then as Homecoming festivities continued, Captain Cagle, Corporal Wilson and Deputy Thornburg represented the NCSO on Saturday at the Dawg Days of Dawson in downtown Dawson.
The NCSO was also proud to participate with the community in the annual National Night Out held in front of Corsicana City Hall. Captain Melanie Cagle, Corporal Eric Wilson, Deputy Rose Clark and Deputy Patrick Rider enjoyed visiting with our citizens. Thank you to all who came out and visited or participated in making this year's event another great success.
The Sheriff's Office had approximately 3,191 calls for service in September and our dispatch received 1,568 calls for assistance to 9-1-1. There were approximately 198 persons arrested and booked into the Navarro County Justice Center and the average daily jail population was 254 inmates. Four inmates were transferred to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and three inmates were transferred to State Jail and SAFP Units to serve their sentences. In September, we estrayed four cows, two bulls and one calf and hauled them to our county farm. We also collected $760 in estray fees.
We are accepting applications for all divisions and currently have vacancies in detention, dispatch, patrol, courthouse security, administration and the criminal investigation division. Remember the hiring age for dispatch and detention has been lowered to 18 but with all other enforcement positions, you must be 21 or older to apply. As in the past, applications will continue to be taken for any vacancy until the position is filled.
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts."
- Winston Churchill
As always, God Bless, be safe and please pray for rain.
Sheriff Elmer Tanner
