This is our third update on the changes and accomplishments for 2020 in your Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office purchased water rescue discs for the patrol division. These throwable frisbee-like devices are used to save lives of victims trapped in swift or deep water, ice covered ponds and lakes, or other dangerous situations. The rescuer can stay safely ashore while performing the rescue. With several area clubs, fishing ponds, and water ways in Grundy County, we hope never to use them but have them in case of an emergency.
With the recent legalization of marijuana in Illinois, we purchased an oral fluid test kit for testing suspected impaired drug drivers. Rapid oral fluid collection is easy to obtain while in the field and less invasive than urine or blood sampling. The observed collection process limits adulteration and tampering concerns. A Deputy who suspects a driver is impaired by drugs can administer this quick and easy test by means of a buccal swab. Test results are available almost instantly.
The Sheriff’s Office relies on social media to help distribute information to the community. By taking a lighthearted approach, we choose to humanize the role of Deputy Sheriff. We find this approach beneficial as our social media following jumped to nearly 21,000 followers over the last two years.
In 2020, the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office conducted three roadside safety checks. We stopped over 300 cars resulting in arrests for DUI, child passenger seat violations, seat belt violations and open alcohol citations.
As you probably know before my election I served as the School Resource Officer for Minooka Community High School, a role I took seriously. Since I took office in 2018, Grundy County now has a full time School Resource Officer. Our Deputy is embraced by faculty members, teachers, parents, and students, we are very proud of the relationship we formed within the community. In 2020, myself and the School resource Officer made an informational video for the National Sheriff’s Association web site. The video highlights the important role our SRO’s play in our schools. If you get time go to the National Sheriff’s Association web page and check it out.
Intruder drills have been conducted in schools and a through review of all crisis manuals has been completed. All Grundy County schools are now trained in “Stop the Bleed” and been provided with tourniquets and training on their use. This training was conducted in partnership with Morris Hospital.
More to come in the following weeks.
Remember my golf outing is June 21st, 2021 at the
This is our fourth update on the changes and accomplishments for your Sheriffs Office in 2020.
We are extremely proud of our aggressive impaired driving enforcement efforts here in Grundy County. This year Deputy Post and Sergeant A. Cory were both selected to receive the prestigious Illinois Mothers Against Drunk Drivers Hero Award (MADD). The Illinois MADD Hero Award is given to the top 25 impaired driving enforcement officers in the State of Illinois. We are very proud to have two of our officers recognized as part of the top 25 in the state.
Calls for service were down in 2020 compared to 2019; this could be COVID 19 related as less people traveled and retail establishments closed for a portion of the year. In 2019 the patrol division responded to 8488 calls for service. In 2020, the patrol division responded to 7762 call. Due to COVID 19 restrictions and an aggressive effort to reduce the spread of COVID 19, patrol deputies conducted minor non-emergency calls/reports by phone in 2020. Traffic stops were also down as we experienced far less cars on the road. In 2019 we conducted 6499 stops and wrote 3828 citations compared to 2020 we conducted 5804 stops and wrote 3207 citations.
One area we did not see a decrease in is impaired driving arrests. In 2019 we made 134 impaired driving arrests compared to 135 in 2020. Our drug arrests also showed a slight increase; in 2019 we made 80 drug arrests compared to 86 in 2020.
We now have one deputy assigned to the Tri-County Auto Theft unit. This multi-jurisdictional unit consists of officers assigned from various agencies throughout the Midwest. The deputy’s salary is paid for by state and federal grant funds supplied by the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Our office has three deputies who have completed and received their FAA Unmanned Aerial Systems Pilot License. This advanced technology allowed the Sheriffs Office to locate missing persons, fleeing and eluding suspects, photograph serious injury or fatal crash scenes, document crime scenes from the air, and is a proven asset to the Sheriffs Office.
More to come in the following weeks.
Please consider donating to my campaign as I am in the planning stages to run for re-election in 2022. My gold outing is scheduled on June 21st, 2021 at the Morris Country Club. Donations can be sent to Friends to Elect Ken Briley at PO box 243 Morris, Il. 60450