Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers held another town hall forum Thursday evening at Grace Lutheran Church in Columbus. Myers says this was one of the best attended of his forums. Much of the discussion was focused on the drug issue. With that as a backdrop, the Sheriff talked about public-safety needs.
Myers says that increase is directly attributable to the meth, heroin and opiate scourge in the county. He also took aim at state legislators, who implemented a plan this year sending low-level felons back to county jails to serve their sentences. Myers says that he needs seven new staff members to improve conditions at the jail and help addicts have a better chance at rehabilitation. He’s asking county residents to talk to their elected officials to help him better serve them.
The Sheriff says that he’ll be going before the county council next week to ask for that overtime money, noting that his overtime budget for this year has already been spent. He adds that it is critical that the jail get additional staffing, not only to reduce overtime costs, but for the physical and mental well-being of current jail staff.