Monthly Report for January 2024
Dear Citizens,
We sure hope everyone has had a safe and prosperous beginning to 2024. We at the NCSO look forward to protecting and serving our citizens and may we all continue to be blessed in the new year.
January 9th was recognized as Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Thank you to all those who answer the call. Thank you for putting your community and those in it above many things when the need arises. Officers put their lives on the line every day to protect many they do not even know. Many of those have little to no concern, care or respect, but yet the men and women who swore to protect and serve do just that. Regardless.
Thank you for giving up holidays, birthdays and family gatherings, missing your child's school events and sports games because when duty calls, you drop everything and respond. Thank you for giving up on so much of your family life to serve the many who depend on you. Thank you to those countless families for the sacrifices you must make daily as well. You also are appreciated for understanding the dedication and calling.
Every time they walk out the door, they know there is no guarantee of a return home, yet they still answer the call and for little pay, little respect and most days with little to no gratitude and appreciation. Most importantly, thank you for doing a job most wouldn't do. Especially now in these current times as it takes a special individual.
Quick, split second decisions must be made in life or death situations many times. There is never a guarantee that their decision in that exact second is the is right one but they still show up, suit up, put on the vest and take the hits, the hate, the criticism and abuse to be there in a moment's notice no matter the danger or sacrifice. No matter who is in need. Thank you and stay safe.
This month I was glad to be able to instruct an important Sheriff-Hosted School Safety Meeting at the Corsicana ISD Administration Building. In accordance with Local Government Code, Chapter 85.024 (https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/LG/htm/LG.85.htm...), being the sheriff of a county with a total population of less than 350,000, and where public schools are located, a semiannual school safety meeting will be conducted. Law enforcement officials from all agencies across Navarro County along with Fire, EMS, Emergency Management representatives and all school administrators were invited to attend. As many know, in today's world now more so than ever, school safety is of paramount importance and we have always taken this matter very seriously. I appreciate the opportunity to conduct a meeting of such significance and I appreciate all the professionals who came and were in attendance from throughout our county. Together we networked and discussed many issues in reference to school safety and the coordinated response in the event there were ever an incident.
This month, several of us from the NCSO command staff were able to spend part of our day at the Corsicana Middle School speaking to and interacting with Mrs. Harrelson's Principles of Law classes. I along with the chief deputy, command staff representatives from patrol, criminal investigation, communication, administration and correction divisions were present to speak with different classes throughout the day. Students were shown, had the opportunity to ask questions as well as have discussions on several different items utilized in the law enforcement profession. We enjoyed being able to have this time with our youth and appreciate not just the opportunity but the hospitality shown to us while visiting as well.
Congratulations to the following Deputies who have applied and been selected to fill vacancies on the NCSO Tactical Team:
•Corporal Rusty Perry
•Clayton VanLoocke
•Aldo Hernández
•Wesley Devorak
These Deputies have all passed the physical agility, oral interview board, firearms qualifications and have attended the minimum of a TCOLE certified basic SWAT school. Congratulations to these officers!
Congratulations to NCSO Deputy Sterling Cotton on graduating from the Navarro College Police Academy. Deputy Cotton has already passed the State Peace Officers exam and has now transferred from corrections to the patrol division. Mr. Cotton is no stranger to public service after having previously served our country for 11 years in the United States Army and at the NCSO in corrections for over a year. We thank Deputy Cotton for his service to our country and wish him all the best with his new position at the NCSO serving our citizens. We also wish all the other police academy graduates the best of luck in their future endeavors.
Thank you to Country Meadows Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for hosting the First Responders Appreciation Breakfast. We greatly appreciate your kindness and hospitality and especially your support and care in having this event for our first responders. We enjoyed the food but especially your generosity and hospitality.
On January 2nd, Corporal Palos located a stolen Caterpillar Skid Steer in the 2000 block of NE 0060 Corsicana. The stolen 2024 Caterpillar was valued at $90,000 and had recently been reported stolen from a job site in Waxahachie. The stolen unit was recovered by the NCSO before the reporting agency could get it entered into TCIC-NCIC as stolen.
On January 26th, our NCSO Detectives, supported by our patrol division, executed a search warrant for stolen property in the 6400 block of NW 1160. A partially dismantled 2016 Chevrolet Corvette that was reported stolen from Dallas, and one stolen firearm was recovered.
On January 27th, NCSO deputies located and recovered a stolen Kubota SVL97 Skid Steer in the 1700 block of NE 0070 Corsicana.
The stolen 2021 Kubota Skid Steer was valued at $80,000 and had recently been reported stolen from a job site in Carrolton. The stolen Kubota has been returned to the owner and the investigation is ongoing.
On January 30th, NCSO deputies located and recovered a partially disassembled stolen 2021 GMC pickup in the 9800 block of NW 1260 near Emhouse. The pickup had been entered as stolen by Dallas PD. Deputies on scene also located the license plate from a stolen 2018 GMC pickup entered stolen by Grand Prairie PD in 2020. Additional auto parts were also located at the scene as this investigation continues.
On January 31st, the NCSO was busy once again recovering stolen items in the 200 block of SE CR 3072. Our patrol deputies and detectives located a stolen flatbed trailer and Polaris Razor that were both stolen out of Dallas. The estimated value of the recovered property was $25,000. The investigation is still on going at this time.
We would like to recognize the following new officers, transfers and promotions during January:
Congratulations to Corporal Matthew Rickard who was promoted to Detention Sergeant, Mason Avery and Brittany Miller were both promoted to Detention Corporal. We congratulate these officers and wish them all the best in their new positions.
The Sheriff's Office had approximately 2,326 calls for service in January and our dispatch received 1,567 calls for assistance to 9-1-1. There were approximately 157 persons arrested and booked into the Navarro County Justice Center and the average daily jail population was 218 inmates. Five inmates were transferred to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and seven inmates were transferred to State Jail and SAFP Units to serve their sentences.
In January, we estrayed one cow, one bull which were hauled to our county farm. Two estray horses and two estray donkeys were taken to the Elkhart Horse Sale, sold for a total of $1,098.50 and $280 were collected 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.
"The world needs men who cannot be bought; whose word is their bond; who put character above wealth; who possess opinions and a will; who are larger than their vocations; who do not hesitate to take chances; who will not lose their individuality in a crowd; who will be honest in small things as in great things; who will make no compromise with wrong; whose ambitions are not confined to their own selfish desires; who will not say they do it "because everyone else does it;" who are true to their friends through good report and evil report, in adversity as well as in prosperity; who do not believe that shrewdness, cunning and hardheadedness are the best qualities for winning success; who are not ashamed or afraid to stand for the truth when it is unpopular, who can say "no" with emphasis, although all the rest of the world says "yes." -Ted W. Engstrom
As always, God Bless and be safe,
Sheriff Elmer Tanner
