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Sheriff's office reports ICE detainees, staffing shifts and six recent fatal/serious crashes
Summary
Sheriff's office staff told the committee there were three ICE detainers earlier in the month (down to two that afternoon), described corrections staffing and intern plans, and Captain Darren Rice reported six fatal/serious vehicle crashes since late November, including five fatal crashes that killed six people.
A sheriff's office representative told the Judiciary & Public Safety Committee the jail held three individuals subject to ICE detainers earlier in the month and two at the time of the report; two of those detainees face homicide charges and a third arrived from OCI with a detainer in place.
The sheriff’s representative outlined staffing plans for the jail: temporary reassignments of patrol deputies to cover shifts, a training pipeline for corrections deputies due to finish in May, six paid interns and three unpaid interns expected to help fill open positions in July, and use of a temporary project position to address short-term staffing needs.
The office also described logistical pressure from evidence storage: about 25 vehicles across two buildings are being maintained as evidence, some tied to homicide cases and hence retained until sentencing concludes, creating space challenges.
Captain Darren Rice reported six fatal or serious crashes between Nov. 24, 2025 and Feb. 18, including five fatal crashes that resulted in six deaths. He listed speed, reckless driving, intoxication and one apparent intentional act among causes. Rice said the incidents underscore the department’s need for additional evidence space and coordination with insurance companies to move non-evidentiary vehicles out of storage.
Committee members asked clarifying questions about where the crashes occurred and dedicated patrol resources; the captain said Highway 41 has a dedicated squad-car presence 24 hours per day for visibility and enforcement but that the recent crashes occurred on a mix of state and county roads.
No new policy vote was taken on evidence storage or patrol allocations at the meeting; the sheriff’s office report was received by the committee and members requested that staff provide routine updates on staffing and capacity.
