Grayson County Sheriff Norman Chaffins has released his office’s 2021 Activity Report.
Chaffins notes that 2021 represented “an increase in some areas,” but the “total activity numbers” experienced a decline to “pre-pandemic levels.”
Of course, in 2021 the sheriff’s office lost four of its most experienced and effective deputies — Rick Mehlbauer, Fred Norder, Zane Greer, and Andy Vincent — for a variety of reasons which likely impacted the overall activity numbers, at least for a time. But, Chaffins has worked to replace those four key members of his staff, adding a former Kentucky State Police Vehicle Enforcement Officer and Elizabethtown PD Officer, Nick Pruitt (who was unanimously selected 2021 GCSO Deputy of the Year), along with former Greensburg PD Officer Caleb Owens.
The return of former Grayson County Deputy (now Sgt.) Clay Boone, also adds experience to the staff otherwise comprised of:
- Chief Deputy Jarrod Mudd
- Lt. Sonny Poteet
- Sgt. Jason Luedke
- Deputy Sean Fentress, who handles Zeus, the GCSO’s newly minted K-9 Officer
- Deputy Erik Franklin
- Deputy Justin Cockerell
2021 Activity Report
The Grayson County Sheriff’s Office:
- Attempted to serve over 2,500 court papers with 1,300 of those successfully served.
- Opened approximately 300 criminal cases and made over 800 arrests.
- Removed 55 drunk drivers from roadways and wrote over 1,000 citations.
- Assisted over 250 stranded motorists, responded to nearly 6,500 calls for service and conducted approximately 750 extra patrol requests.
- Worked approximately 400 crashes with many of those injury collisions, and conducted over 2,600 vehicle inspections.
- Served approximately 55 warrants on individuals for involuntary hospitalization (Mental Inquest Warrants). Many of those were released within minutes or hours of detainment.
- Had nearly 19,000 citizen contacts.
“Our deputies also spent over 250 hours in circuit or district court during this period,” Chaffins added.
Statement from Sheriff Chaffins:
Although we do not have a deputy on the Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force (GHCNTF), the GCSO is an active member, as I serve as the Task Force’s secretary. Our deputies share crucial intelligence with the detectives who conduct the investigations.
Many of the drug tips, intel reports, and critical information used to make arrests and obtain search warrants has been in cooperation with the GCSO, Leitchfield PD officers and the GHCNTF.
In addition to the 100-plus drug arrests my deputies made in 2021, our GHCNTF Grayson County detective opened over 265 criminal drug cases and arrested over 120 drug dealers for various possession and trafficking offenses including marijuana, meth, fentanyl, illegal pills, and other illegal substances.
Those arrests resulted in the removal of illegal firearms, with many investigations leading to tips in other crimes such as theft, burglary and even murder.
Although the battle against drugs is an ongoing struggle, there is no doubt that we have disrupted many drug dealers’ plans to infiltrate our youth and sell their product in our county. The GCSO will continue to play a lead role in the enforcement against the scourge that is the illegal drugs we have on our community.
In addition to enforcement duties, the GCSO is tasked with collecting property taxes and operating within a set budget approved by Grayson County Fiscal Court.
In 2021, the GCSO collected over $13 million in property taxes and distributed it to various entities which are listed on tax bills. Our 2021 projected office budget was $1,574,350. We came in at $1,379,877.83, which is over $70,000 less than the anticipated expenditures. GC Fiscal Court elected to turn those excess fees back the sheriff’s office. We will use the excess fees to hire additional personnel and purchase much needed equipment and tools to fight crime in our community.
Grayson County citizens should continue to expect a high level of professional service from your law enforcement leaders, Deputies, Officers and Troopers. We ask that you continue to give us tips and continue calling in on your drug dealing neighbors and friends to help make our county one of the best in Kentucky!
In 2022, in an effort to make our streets safer, the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office will continue to conduct traffic safety checkpoints at approved locations throughout our county. We will be looking for impaired drivers, illegal drugs and unrestrained occupants. You should expect to start seeing these Traffic Safety Checkpoints beginning May 1, 2022 and throughout the rest of 2022.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
