Sheriff highlights accreditation, drug seizures, Narcan vending machine and jail renovation needs
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Summary
Sheriff Jeff Balzer told commissioners the office has expanded accreditation and training, reported large drug-task-force seizures and the opening of a 24-hour Narcan vending machine, and asked for funding for ballistic helmets and phased jail renovations while acknowledging staffing and training-center cost pressures.
Sheriff Jeff Balzer presented the sheriff—s office budget priorities and operational updates at the Nov. 17 session, outlining public-safety programs, equipment requests and facility needs.
Balzer reviewed a string of accreditations and awards the office has pursued and said partnerships remain central to operations, citing the tactical unit, crisis negotiation team and school resource officers. "We have 19 deputies who are dedicated to school safety," Balzer told the commissioners.
He described drug-task-force activity from Jan. 1 through Oct. 31 that included more than 30 search warrants, the seizure of 64 firearms and nearly $650,000 in U.S. currency, and large quantities of illicit drugs (reporting approximately 16 kilos of cocaine, more than 8 kilos of methamphetamine, over a kilo of fentanyl and hundreds of grams of crack cocaine), information the sheriff said came from multiagency investigations.
Balzer also described two harm-reduction steps: a 24-hour Narcan vending machine in partnership with the local health district that has already required a refill, and a nearly $250,000 grant from the Ohio attorney general to support injectable medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in the jail with linkage to community care on release.
On officer safety, Balzer said the budget includes a request for ballistic helmets to be available in patrol cruisers and noted the county used workers— compensation cash funds to replace ballistic vests. He flagged jail renovation priorities including expanded medical and mental-health space, segregation and recreation areas, upgraded security systems, kitchen and laundry upgrades and new dorm flooring, and said schematic design is complete and staff will return with contract amendments for detailed design.
Commissioners asked about federal inmates and reimbursement. Balzer said the county currently houses fewer than five federal inmates; he said federal daily-rate negotiations (the sheriff cited an offer of about $101 per day versus roughly $83 per day five years ago) are ongoing and that the county is working to ensure reimbursements cover variable and some fixed costs.
The sheriff acknowledged staffing and recruitment challenges: although more than 100 applicants initially applied for a recruitment cycle, screening and training reduce the candidate pool; the department reported vacancies in both patrol and corrections and said it is trying to recruit and retain candidates while preserving hiring standards.
Commissioners asked the sheriff to continue coordination on training-center costs and reimbursement to other agencies; no formal votes or budget decisions were taken during the presentation.