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Sheriff reports more than 27,000 calls in 2024, urges steady vehicle replacements
Summary
Sheriff Fleming presented 2024 activity statistics showing just over 27,000 total calls, 5,332 911 calls, and heavy mileage for deputies; he recommended maintaining a steady vehicle replacement schedule to avoid downtime and high maintenance costs.
Sheriff Fleming told the Dickenson County Board of Supervisors that the sheriff’s office handled just over 27,000 calls in 2024 and that deputies drove substantial miles across the county, underscoring a need to keep the vehicle fleet current.
Fleming highlighted key figures: about 5,332 911 calls for the year; roughly 27,000 total calls answered; 7,194 civil process papers served; 563 traffic stops; 315 welfare checks; and 1,205 fire calls. For December specifically, he reported 45 arrests, 339 civil process papers served and deputies drove 23,300 miles for the month.
He said deputies logged high mileage on many vehicles (several cars exceed 150,000 miles) and requested the board’s continued support for replacing roughly three vehicles per year to avoid falling behind on fleet needs. Fleming noted new vehicles are already on order and said continued investment reduces the risk of service disruptions.
The sheriff also explained the difference between “church checks” — patrols where officers stop and physically inspect church doors and leave a check slip — and routine patrol‑and‑check activity (P&C), which documents an officer’s presence in an area without an exit from the vehicle. Fleming said a small grant previously funded overtime specifically for church checks but the county did not receive that grant for the coming year.
Fleming reported staffing changes: three departures (two retirements and one officer who left for Norton PD) and two recent hires who are in the academy and expected to be field‑ready in 19–20 weeks.
Board members asked about comparison data from neighboring counties; Fleming said metrics vary with population and local conditions, so direct comparisons are limited. Several board members expressed concern about the number of DOAs (35 in the year) and the strain on deputies who respond to those calls.
Ending: The board acknowledged the figures and thanked Fleming for the report; members agreed fleet replacement planning and recruitment would remain priorities in upcoming budget discussions.
