Change has come to the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department.

Two new officers, a detective's promotion to lieutenant and the possible addition of a Homeland Security Officer means the department has been extra busy with personnel appointments.

Deputy patrolmen Mike Mulligan and Jeff Howie are new hires to the department. Both men have past experience in law enforcement, with Mulligan being a former Wabash City Police Officer and Howie working as a jailer in the Kosciusko County jail.

Mulligan began his career in 1999, when he graduated from Ball State University with an associate's degree in criminal justice. He worked as a jailer at the Wabash County Jail for 18 months before his appointment as a Wabash City officer, which he held for three years before coming to Kosciusko County.

Better career opportunities for himself and his family were a factor in Mulligan's decision to come to Warsaw. He also said working in Kosciusko County allows him to be close to relatives who live nearby.

Mulligan will undergo a six-week training period before he takes over all patrolman opportunities. The general training period is 12 weeks, but because of prior experience, Mulligan's is shortened.

Howie, a Warsaw native, began his career at the county jail in March 2002 as a jail officer.

Previous to that, he took college courses in law enforcement and general education at New River Community College, Va., and IPFW.

Howie said he has always wanted to be an officer. The influence of his father, a Winona Lake officer, rubbed off on him at the age of 6.

For his training, Howie has undergone 40 hours of pre-basic training. Pre-basic includes firearms training, online courses and testing and defensive tactics. He also will attend the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy within the year.

Both officers were hired through the state COPS grant. The state will pay 75 percent of their salaries their first year of employment, 50 percent the second year and 25 percent the third year. A contingency of the grant is that the county appoint someone as a homeland security officer.

According to Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine, the new position will be given to a current county deputy. He said there are several volunteers.

The homeland security officer will train other officers in security tactics, apply for grants and work with emergency management.

A final personnel change came with Joe Mooney's promotion from sergeant to lieutenant of the drug task force.

As lieutenant, Mooney's tasks include supervision of task force officers, recordkeeping, handling of the force's budget and writing grants.

According to Rovenstine, Mooney is deserving of the promotion.

Rovenstine described Mooney as a "dedicated and loyal employee" who "works well with the prosecution and judges and also is skilled at interviewing."

Mooney has been with the sheriff's deparment since 1985, when he started as a reserve officer.

He became a full-time officer in 1985 and was one of the founding members of the drug task force that year.

With Mooney's promotion to lieutenant there is an open sergeant position. Rovenstine said a deputy may be promoted to fill that position. [[In-content Ad]]