Kosciusko County Sheriff Jim Smith praised the first year of the Kosciusko Community Recovery Program Thursday while reflecting on 2024 year-end statistics.
At its meeting, the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Merit Board heard from KCSO Public Information Officer Sgt. Doug Light the KCRP "assisted 57 inmates with their journey back into the community."
The program started during summer 2024 to help inmates who agree to it with housing, education and information on other local resources to aid them in life after incarceration. It's overseen by Resource Navigator Shanna Wallen.
"I'm super proud of the KCRP numbers," said Smith.
He noted some of the inmates Wallen worked with are at Kosciusko County Work Release now.
"We've only seen one of (the inmates Wallen's met with) so far return back to the jail," said Smith.
He said the number of inmates has dropped from about 250 in July to about 175 currently.
"I don't think it's just one thing, but I got to tell you this program certainly doesn't hurt. So, optimistically, I believe that's the difference (of having programs like the KCRP)," said Smith.
"It's exciting to see what those numbers have done in such a short period of time," he said.
He said there was even a block of the jail without anyone in it at one point in time.
"It helps me sleep better at night when there are fewer people back there," Smith said.
Related to the KCRP, KCSO Chief Deputy Chris McKeand said two peer recovery coaches will assist Wallen with helping inmates in the KCRP acclimate back to society. Though several peer recovery coaches from Living In Transition Effectively (LITE) have already been helping those in the KCRP, the two new coaches will work "internally" in the jail with the KCRP, being paid for out of opioid settlement funds the county has.
One of the coaches will be from Bowen Health and start Tuesday, McKean said. The other with Fellowship Missions should start in February.
"We've been pleased up until now (with the KCRP results), and we expect that we're only going to see improved results from this point forward," said McKeand.
In other business, the board:
• Heard a number of 2024 statistics from Light. Among them: 135 intakes at work release, with numbers ranging from the high 60s to high 80s over the year; 372 therapy hours at work release; 310 community service hours done by people at work release; 19 graduates from the Kosciusko County Jail Chemical Addiction Program, with 14 men and five women; 384 educational hours and 120 community service hours done by JCAP participants, with five JCAP members getting their high school equivalency; 2,750 people booked into the jail; 598 jail transports done; 118,923 people entered the Kosciusko County Justice Building; 69,165 calls taken by Kosciusko County Dispatch, including administrative and emergency calls; and KCSO staff doing 11,984 training hours.
• Heard 2024 KCSO patrol statistics from KCSO Patrol Commander Lt. Mike Mulligan. Among them: 22,170 calls taken, averaging 60 calls a day; 2,326 reports; approximately 407 arrests; 2,754 traffic stops; and 975 accidents worked, with 14 fatal ones.
• Heard from KCSO Investigations Commander Det. Lt. Josh Spangle that his division worked on 240 cases in 2024.
• Heard from Spangle that Kreg Kuhn is the department's newest detective and the KCSO is working to get more staff certified on using drones.
• Heard from KCSO Jail Commander Lt. Kevin Gelbaugh that of the people booked into the jail for 2024, 957 were for drugs or alcohol; and correctional officers did 402 reports, leading to approximately 30 additional charges for inmates.
• Tentatively agreed to cancel its February meeting and move its March meeting to March 21.