Monthly Report for April 2018

Dear Citizens,

A big congratulations to all the participants of the 60th Annual Navarro County Youth Exposition. I was honored to not only be a bid spotter once again this year at the Youth Expo Premium Sale, but was asked to be present to accept a dedication on behalf of the First Responders of Navarro County. Thank you for honoring all the dedicated men and women who work so hard each and every day serving the citizens in this county we all call home.

The Navarro County Sheriff's Office along with the Navarro County Office of Emergency Management (NCOEM) hosted a half-day Emergency Operations meeting with area school districts’ safety teams at Corsicana Middle School. The topics covered included the role of NCOEM before, during and after an all-hazard emergency event. This presentation included resources available from the local, regional, and state levels as well as historical data on local disasters requiring Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance. I presented a session on active shooter preparedness from a law enforcement perspective to the school leaders. I also discussed the evolution of law enforcement practices and what has been learned from past school shootings. School safety is important to everyone and it’s important to be prepared in the event of an emergency. Planning and practicing are the two best and most important things you can do to prepare yourself and your school community.

The session ended with questions and answers as well as the best practices for campuses to use throughout the district and school emergency operations planning and drills. Public schools from Navarro County were present as well as James L. Collins Catholic School and Navarro College.

On behalf of the men and women of the NCSO, I want to thank the Corsicana & Navarro County Chamber of Commerce, all event sponsors and Northside Baptist Church for the First Responders Appreciation Breakfast. It was a very kind gesture and was greatly appreciated.

The NCSO participated in the Mildred Elementary Career Day for 3rd through 5th grade. Approximately 170 kids participated in the event. Deputies Nick Wickliffe, Corporal Shane Richards, Communications Lieutenant Melanie Cagle and Pshaun Martin attended. We are always thankful for the opportunity to speak with the youth of today who are our futures bright leaders of tomorrow.

Thank you Ervin and Gail Richards for your donation of stuffed animals to the NCSO. We place the stuffed animals in our patrol units and at our office to be given to children who are victims of crime or high stress situations. These animals have proven many times to be a calming influence in high stress and emotional situations for children.

Navarro County Sheriff’s Deputies Patrick Rider and Nick Wickliffe assisted a man after he drove through a fence on FM 3383 near Allison Ranch into a stock pond, partially submerging his vehicle. The deputies entered the chest-deep water and waited for medical crews to arrive. The driver was complaining of injuries so deputies stayed with the man to ensure he did not go underwater but did not extract him from the vehicle due to possible serious injuries sustained during the accident. Corsicana Fire Rescue responded and with the help of these deputies, got the man out of the vehicle and PHI Air Medical transported the man to a Dallas-area hospital. The Texas Department of Public Safety handled the accident investigation.

The Navarro County Sheriff’s Office participated in the 1st Annual County Emergency Preparedness Fair along with numerous other law enforcement agencies, fire departments, first responders and TxDOT representatives. The NCSO also gave away free child gun locks at the event.

Navarro County Sheriff’s Corporal William Grigsby, with the assistance of Corsicana Police Officers Heath Hayes and Michael Brooks, arrested Curtis Lloyd Perry, 38, for manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance over four grams but under 200 grams Monday, March 19. He was also charged for manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance over four grams but under 400 grams, theft of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance over one gram but under four grams, two counts of possession of a dangerous drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful carrying of a weapon. Our dispatch received a report of a reckless driver on W. Hwy. 31 and FM 55 traveling toward Corsicana. Cpl. Grigsby located Perry and pulled him over and conducted a traffic stop between W. Seventh Ave. and S. 12th St. During the investigation Grigsby found a prescription pill bottle which did not have Perry’s name. Officer Hayes and Brooks assisted Grigsby on a probable cause search. Police found a stolen pistol, an AR-15 rifle with loaded magazines, an additional pistol, body armor, baggies of methamphetamine weighing 32 grams and baggies of suspected ecstasy weighing 95 grams.

We had one resignations this month and we welcomed Joseph White as our newest Detention Officer. The Sheriff's Office had approximately 3,330 calls for service in March and our Dispatch received 2,056 calls for assistance to 9-1-1. There were approximately 319 persons arrested and booked into the Navarro County Justice Center and the average daily jail population was 262 inmates. The Narcotics Unit arrested 11 suspects, filed 11 criminal cases and served nine outstanding arrest warrants. Thirteen inmates were transferred to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and 14 other inmates were transferred to State Jail and SAFP units to serve their sentences.

This month we estrayed two horses and transported them to the county farm at Petty’s Chapel, sold one estray bull at Corsicana Livestock Auction for $1,304.91, recovered $145 in estray fees this month and sold $760 of hay.

We are currently accepting applications for vacancies in our dispatch and detention divisions. As in the past, applications will continue to be taken for any vacancy until the position is filled.

"Honesty is a person’s most valuable asset. His or her good name, good reputation, and good word depend on the individual’s quality of honesty. A business that operates under the principles of profound honesty is elevated within the community. It is respected and treasured. The absence of honesty is a liability to an individual or business." - James H. Markel

As always, God bless and be safe.

Sheriff Elmer Tanner