Category Archives: Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Nov. 9
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Nov. 8
Local Sheriff’s Office Receives Special Olympics Award
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office has been chosen as the recipient of the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) Champions Award, granted by Special Olympics Kansas.
“The presentation will be at Woodland Hills Golf Course at 1 pm on November 16th,” Erin Fletcher, Director of Grants and Development at Special Olympics Kansas, said. “Ben Cole and Steve Anthony will accept the award for their outreach during the year and fundraising at the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Golf Scramble.”
This award is given to members of the LETR community that have gone above and beyond to raise awareness and funds for Special Olympics Kansas. Only one award is given out yearly throughout the entire state of Kansas.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office also won the Southeast Kansas Regional Organization of the Year in 2020.
“This award recognizes all the hard work, dedication, commitment, and care they have provided for the Law Enforcement Torch Run and our Kansas Athletes,” said Fletcher. “This continued commitment to improving the quality of life for all athletes is greatly appreciated and we are thrilled to honor them with the Law Enforcement Torch Run of Kansas Champions Award.”
Among other fundraisers, the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office recently raised over $32,000 from their Bourbon County Golf Scramble held in July 2021.
ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS KANSAS Special Olympics Kansas (SOKS) is dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports competitions, health and nutrition programs, and leadership development. SOKS is a non-profit organization supported almost entirely by corporate and individual gifts, and events. The generosity of Kansas organizations, individuals, and statewide businesses enable the program to continue.
ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT TORCH RUN (LETR) The Law Enforcement Torch Run began in 1981 with founder Wichita Police Chief Richard LaMunyon and five law enforcement officers carrying the torch for the Special Olympics Kansas Summer Games in Wichita. The LETR has since evolved to a volunteer partnership with Special Olympics to champion acceptance and inclusion. It has become a worldwide community of law enforcement officers rallying to support Special Olympics, the impetus for millions of new friendships around the world, and a series of events including Torch Runs, Polar Plunge fundraisers, and Tip-A-Cop® events. The LETR is the largest grassroots fundraiser for Special Olympics with more than 100,000 law enforcement participants around the world. Visit LETR.org for more information. www.facebook.com/specialolympicskansas www.flickr.com/specialolympicskansas Twitter @sokansas Instagram @sokansas ###
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Nov. 5
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Nov. 4
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Nov. 3
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Nov. 2
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Nov. 1
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Oct. 29
Bourbon County Sees Increase in Criminal Drug Activities: New Drug Control Positions Created
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office is the recipient of a grant to assist local and area law enforcement agencies in controlling criminal drug activities, which have increased.
On September 30, 2021, the Kansas Criminal Justice Coordinating Council reviewed 45 grant applications that were requesting money to either start, support, or maintain current law enforcement services, Bourbon County Sheriff Bill Martin said.
“This was a very competitive process where some entities and agencies were not awarded their requested grant,” Martin said.
“We requested $123,040 but was awarded $113,292,” he said.
“The newly created position will assist local and area law enforcement agencies in criminal drug activities (cases),” he said.
“The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office is excited and very grateful in receiving this grant and we hope to have the drug deputies in place by December of this year,” Martin said.
“Deputies interested in applying for the position will have to submit a resume and … go in front of oral interview board that will consist of local representatives and area sheriffs,” Martin said.
The sheriff currently has nine road deputies that work 12-hour shifts, and one School Resource Officer. They cover the 642 square miles of Bourbon County.
This grant created two more positions, Martin said.
Illegal drug activity has increased significantly.
There is a need for more help with illegal drug activity law enforcement in Bourbon County, Martin said.
“Drug cases have doubled from 56 total cases in 2018 to 110 cases in 2019,” Martin said.
“The number of controlled narcotic pills seized has already risen from 60 dosage units in 2019 to 343 dosage units in 2020.”
This is an increase of over five-fold.
“Oxycodone, oxycontin, hydrocodone, and fentanyl being the biggest narcotic drug that law enforcement is dealing with nationwide,” Martin said. “Make sure you hide the (prescription) medication (you take) or keep it with you.”
“In 2019, 10.67 ounces meth was seized; in 2020 10.74 ounces of meth was seized, and 38.7 ounces was seized in the first half of this year,” he said. This is three times the number of the total of last year.
“In 2019, of heroin, .16 ounces were recovered. In 2020, 4.5 grams of heroin was recovered,” Martin said.
That is four times as numerous as the previous year.
About the KCJCC Grant
Governor Laura Kelly, on behalf of the KCJCC, announced on October 21 that more than $2 million will be awarded as part of the 2022 grant awards for the Federal Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program.
The KCJCC oversees the criminal justice federal funding made available to Kansas through the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance.
The U.S. Department of Justice is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights, increases access to justice, supports crime victims, protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community.
Specifically, JAG awards are made to local, state, and nonprofit agencies to fund prevention activities; equipment and technology needs; and programs designed to reduce crime, decrease recidivism rates, and provide crime victim services.
A total of $2,396,959 was awarded to 25 agencies, according to the press release.
KCJCC Members:
Derek Schmidt, Attorney General, Chair
Clay Britton, Vice-Chair (Governor’s Designee)
Justice Caleb Stegall, (Chief Justice Designee)
Jeff Zmuda, Acting Secretary of Kansas Department of Corrections
Herman Jones, Superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol
Kirk Thompson, Director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation