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Sheriff outlines new intelligence unit and equipment grant to expand real‑time investigations
Summary
Sheriff Whitclar briefed the board on a reorganized sheriff's office structure and a newly formed intelligence unit that will provide real‑time crime information, digital forensics and federal partnerships. The office said it received roughly $186,000 in grant equipment to support the unit.
Sheriff Whitclar presented an overview of the sheriff's office organizational chart and introduced a newly formed intelligence unit intended to give deputies real‑time information at calls for service and improved digital forensics capacity.
"We're building out the ability for our officers to get real time intelligence on calls for service so that they know who it is they're going to be speaking with," Abigail White, the unit's crime and intelligence analyst, told the board. White said the unit will also prioritize protections for civil liberties and training in intelligence handling best practices.
The sheriff described two bureaus — administrative and operations — with majors overseeing divisions including criminal investigations, resources and newly formed units such as traffic safety and the intel team. He said the county received about $186,000 worth of equipment through a grant to support the unit's technology and that staff will use checks and balances and audits to govern surveillance and investigative tools.
The presentation included examples of the unit's intended work: digital forensics to analyze cell phones, laptops and cryptocurrency traces, mapping of suspect vehicles for trafficking investigations, and cooperating with federal partners for specialized analytical tasks. Abigail White said the goals are to improve officer safety, speed investigations and limit over‑surveillance.
The board asked follow‑up questions about staffing, training and oversight; the sheriff described a plan to keep the unit small but integrated with existing investigators and to provide quarterly training.
