Clay County Sheriff’s Office reports higher incident counts, staffing strains and a 452‑day wait for a mental‑health bed

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office delivered its annual update to the Board of Commissioners Tuesday, reporting higher overall incident volumes in 2024, ongoing staffing challenges in patrol and investigations, notable drug seizures and K‑9 activity, and a high-profile example of delays moving a detainee to a state mental‑health bed.

Deputy chief and command staff walked commissioners through division-by-division metrics and operational highlights. The office reported 31,176 incidents in 2024, up from 25,186 in 2023, and described frequent single-shift minimum staffing caused by FMLA, retirements and training. Command said the patrol division currently has 12 deputies, four patrol sergeants and two school‑resource officers.

Corrections and mental‑health issues: Jail administrators said the facility booked about 2,500 people in 2024 and currently houses five people who are undergoing the mental‑health commitment process. A corrections official told the board a person remained in county custody for 452 days while awaiting placement out of county; the speaker called that length of stay unacceptable and said the state’s 48‑hour target for finding placement frequently is not met. The sheriff’s office said it has raised the issue with state officials and the Sheriffs Association to seek faster placements and process improvements.

Enforcement and seizures: The operations update included K‑9, street‑crime and narcotics work. The sheriff’s office reported these 2024 enforcement totals: about 108 pounds of marijuana and 14 pounds of methamphetamine seized, roughly $152,000 in cash recovered, and 17 firearms removed during investigations. K‑9 teams handled multiple apprehensions and searches and required regular training hours to maintain certification; an anonymous $40,000 donation helped support the canine program.

Specialized teams and awards: The county participates in the Red River Valley SWAT, bomb and crisis‑negotiations teams; callouts in 2024 included 31 tactical, 54 bomb‑team and 24 negotiation incidents. The office presented lifesaving awards in January for deputies who performed CPR and commended deputies who stopped a runaway vehicle traveling at high speed without injuries.

Corrections programming and revenue: The jail said it runs volunteer-led programs and contracted housing for some inmates, generating about $182,000 in revenue in 2024 for housing medium- and maximum-classification inmates from other jurisdictions. Officials described a continuing recruitment push to fill two to three open full‑time corrections positions.

Emergency management and drone use: Emergency management staff briefed commissioners on two major 2024 mutual‑aid events — the Holly elevator fire (February 2024) and a Terracon precast fire (October 2024) — and highlighted the value of drone imagery for scene assessment and directing resources. The county’s drone team was deployed about 10 times in 2024 for fires, missing‑person searches, suspect searches and a crime scene.

What happens next: Commissioners acknowledged the department’s work and asked that county leadership continue to press the state for faster placements of detainees needing mental‑health beds. The sheriff’s office said it will continue recruiting, cooperating with regional partners and reporting back to the board on progress.