Dear Citizens,
Once again, it was great to take part in the annual Derrick Days parade and to see our citizens supporting the long time honored event. I certainly appreciate all the members on the Derrick Days Committee, as well as the many volunteers, who dedicated their time and efforts into making this year’s event another success.
Each year, the second full week of April is recognized as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. Our telcommunicators or "dispatchers" are an invaluable part of our emergency response system here at the Navarro County Sheriff’s Office. Our telecommunicators assist callers with emergency and non-emergency situations, while providing critical information to law enforcement, firefighters and medical personnel as they respond. This week provides an opportunity to honor these courageous professionals for their vital contribution to public safety. Our telecommunicators serve the community by helping citizens in need every day. If you've ever been the victim of a crime, had a vehicle collision, reported a fire or have needed emergency medical help, it is likely that you called 9-1-1 and received help from a “dispatcher" on the other end of the line. While not always recognized, the critical role that these telecommunicators play in keeping the public and first responders safe is essential. Please, at some point in time, thank a telecommunicator for their professionalism and dedication to duty.
With much appreciation and thanks, I wish Kristin Bates, Captain Gail Hurley, Debra Kelley, Linda Good and Krystal McCollum a well deserved Happy Administrative Professional's Day. I sincerely appreciate each of you, all your hard work, dedication and loyalty to me and to the N.C.S.O. Thank you again for all you do.
The last Friday in April, I taught the first two classes of four scheduled for county government on Active Shooter Recognition and Response. Approximately 60 county employees and elected officials attended the first two classes. This training is designed for civilians and it addresses issues on safety and security in the workplace, schools and everyday life in general. The goal of the training is for civilians to better understand and recognize an active shooter event, take responsibility for their own personal safety and how the decisions they make could affect others. It also informs how law enforcement will respond to this type event and what actions to take when law enforcement arrives on scene in this type of situation.
I would like to recognize and say thank you to our own Deputy Krystal McCollum who made an important and special donation within our community. Deputy McCollum donated approximately 12 inches of her hair to an organization specializing in children’s hair loss. The hair will be utilized to make wigs and no doubt bring back confidence and make a deserving child feel special.
The Navarro County Sheriff’s Office arrested a former Mildred High School chemistry teacher for injury to a child after he allegedly cut one of his students in the classroom with a pair of scissors.
Let me say that it has been a sad and heartbreaking month for our community, the CISD and the many innocent victims and their families in reference to the arrest of a CISD third grade teacher who was charged with multiple counts of indecency with a child. The NCSO first assisted the CISD Police in arresting the suspect at a location near Angus and he later posted bond on the charges and was released. After the CISD obtained six additional warrants for indecency with a child, the NCSO, CISD Police and US Marshall's North Texas Fugitive Task Force, arrested the suspect at a location in Corsicana without incident.
The NCSO arrested a violent wanted fugitive from San Antonio in a remote area off NW 4450 near Frost with the assistance of five members of the NCSO Tactical Team, supported by two patrol units. The suspect was arrested without incident. Captain Stan Farmer was notified by SAPD that the fugitive may be in Navarro County. NCSO detectives immediately began an investigation based on the information given and discovered a location where they believed the suspect to be hiding. The area was extremely remote and officers had to approach the suspects location from a distance on foot. The suspect was found to be living in a van trailer that was parked inside a mesquite field with limited access. The suspect was taken into custody and transported to the Justice center without incident. I am very proud of our officers and that this fugitive was located, arrested and will now face justice for the alleged brutal crime.
The Sheriff's Office had approximately 3,479 calls for service in April and our Dispatch received 1,618 calls for assistance to 9-1-1. There were approximately 260 persons arrested and booked into the Navarro County Justice Center and the average daily jail population was 258 inmates. The Narcotics Unit arrested ten suspects, filed five criminal cases and served 12 outstanding arrest warrants. Eighteen inmates were transferred to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and eleven other inmates were transferred to State Jail and SAFP Units to serve their sentences. This month we estrayed ten horses and transported them to our county farm at Petty’s Chapel.
Congratulations to the following Deputies: Adam Hollifield, promoted to Corporal in Detention, Michael Feemster who begins his new career as a detention officer at the NCSO and Deputy Ismael Esparza successfully completed the 16-week Patrol FTO program and now serves our citizens from the Patrol Division.
We had one resignation this month and we are currently accepting applications for a vacancy in the detention division. As in the past, applications will continue to be taken for any vacancy until the position is filled.
“The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." -Albert Einstein
As always, God bless and be safe,
Sheriff Elmer Tanner