Sheriff’s dept. reorganizes

Changes are in the works for his department, Sheriff Bryan Murphy told Allen County commissioners Tuesday.
After more than 10 years in the position, Joni Tucker resigned as jail administrator, “to move on,” Murphy said. For the time being, the position will not be filled, rather will fall to Undersheriff Roy Smith.
Dathan McMurtery, a recently minted deputy, will take over Smith’s position as court security officer.
“Dathan has been a corrections officer (in the jail) for five or six years and has wanted to be a deputy,” Murphy told the Register. McMurtery completed mandatory training on Aug. 21. While court security will be his main responsibility, he also will be available for road patrols.
Meanwhile, Iolan Mike Aronson, who has served with Iola Police and Fire departments, will join the force on Oct. 20. With Aronson, the force will be one deputy shy of full strength. In November Patrick Cash, another corrections officer, is expected to complete academy training and be the seventh deputy.
“Patrick has been with us five years and has wanted to come over to the road side,” Murphy said. “I’ve appreciated his willingness to wait for the opportunity.”
Also, Aronson will train as a D.A.R.E. officer so the department can resume Drug Abuse Resistance Education classes in USD 256 (Moran-Elsmore) schools.

MURPHY said body cameras worn by county officers may be upgraded soon to the latest technology. They have been in use more than five years, an innovation of the previous sheriff, Tom Williams.
Dash-mounted cameras in patrol vehicles are activated any time emergency lights switch on, and that soon will happen with officers’ body cameras, which are attached at eye level to give a truer account of what occurs.
“That’s something that has put us ahead of the curve, having the cameras record exactly what the officers see,” Murphy said. “If they were on the collar or chest, whenever an officer draws his weapon or does many other things,” the camera may not catch the action.
Having had body cameras longer than many departments, Murphy said he often gets calls asking for advice.
Among things he reports is “they’ve been a godsend for us. They show how professionally our officers deal with the public, that they do what they’re supposed to do.”
Case in point: A woman recently called and complained about foul language an officer used during a stop. “I looked at the video (including audio) and then called the woman back and asked if she really wanted to pursue a complaint, pointing out I had seen the video of the stop. She thought just a second and said, ‘no.’”