Lake County Sheriff's Department (Indiana): Difference between revisions

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			{{Third-party\|date=December 2021}}
	'''Lake County Indiana Sheriff's Department'''
	{{Infobox ~~Police~~ ~~Department~~		{{Infobox Law enforcement agency
	\| ~~name~~ = Lake ~~Co.,In.~~ Sheriff's ~~Dept.~~		\| agencyname = Lake County Sheriff's Department
	\| ~~logo~~ =		\| abbreviation = LCSD
	\| ~~motto~~ =		\| formedyear = {{start date and age\|1837}}
	\| ~~established~~ = ~~1837~~		\| employees = 494
			\| country = United States
	\| jurisdiction = Lake Co.,Indiana
	\| ~~sworn~~ = ~~174~~		\| divtype = U.S. state{{!}}State
	\| ~~non-sworn~~ = ~~335~~		\| divname = Indiana
	\| ~~CSO~~ =		\| subdivtype = County (United States){{!}}County
			\| subdivname = ]
	\| stations = 1
	\| ~~jails~~ = 1		\| map = Map of Indiana highlighting Lake County.svg
			\| mapcaption = Jurisdiction of Lake County Sheriff's Department
	\| helicopters = 3
			\| sizearea = {{nowrap\|'''Total''' 627 sq mi (1,623 km<sup>2</sup>)<br />- Land 499 sq mi (1,292 km<sup>2</sup>)<br />- Water 128 sq mi (330 km<sup>2</sup>)}}
	\| policeboats = 7
			\| sizepopulation = 496,005 (2010)
	\| chief = Marco Kuyachich
	\| ~~sheriff~~ ~~= Roy Dominguez~~		\| legaljuris = ]
	\| ~~superintendent~~ =		\| police = Yes
	\| ~~commissioner~~ =		\| local = Yes
			\| headquarters = 2293 North Main Street<br />], ]
	\| commissioner(s) =
	\| ~~supervisor(s)~~ =		\| sworntype = Merit officer
			\| sworn = 168 (police officers)<br />170 (corrections officers)
			\| unsworntype = Civilian employees
			\| unsworn = 156
			\| chief1name = Oscar Martinez, Jr.<ref>{{cite news
			\| author = Bill Dolan
			\| title = New Lake County Sheriff Martinez credited experience, Hammond support for victory
			\| newspaper = ]
			\| date = September 16, 2017
			\| url = http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/new-lake-county-sheriff-martinez-credited-experience-hammond-support-for/article_366f5e4e-b62a-5d34-a059-ca23457ed395.html
			\| accessdate = 2017-09-16}}</ref>
			\| chief1position = Sheriff
			\| chief2name = Vincent M. Balbo<ref>{{cite web
			\|url=http://www.lakecountysheriff.com/page.php?id=90
			\|title=Chief of Police biography
			\|accessdate=2020-03-07
			\|publisher=Lake County Sheriff's Department}}</ref>
			\| chief2position = <br />Chief of Police
			\| chief3name = Edward G. Jenkins<ref>{{cite web
			\|url=http://www.lakecountysheriff.com/page.php?id=25
			\|title=Deputy Chief of Police biography
			\|accessdate=2017-09-29
			\|publisher=Lake County Sheriff's Department}}</ref>
			\| chief3position = <br />Deputy Chief of Police
			\| boat1type = Police Boat
			\| boats1 = 7
			\| aircraft1type = Helicopter
			\| aircraft1 = 3
			\| website =
			\| footnotes =
			\| reference =
	}}		}}

	Lake County of Indiana has the second largest population of the 92 counties in Indiana. The county covers approximately 501 square miles of the NorthWest corner of the state. The first Sheriff was elected in 1837, when Lake County Indiana was organized.
			The '''Lake County Sheriff's Department''' is the county law enforcement agency for ], ].

			==History==
			The first ] was elected in 1837, when Lake County was organized.

			Notorious gangster ] was held in the Lake County jail from January 1934 to March, when he escaped.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Girardin \|first=G. Russell \|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/58797614 \|title=Dillinger : the untold story \|date=2005 \|publisher=Indiana University Press \|others=William J. Helmer, Rick Mattix \|isbn=0-253-21633-8 \|edition=Expanded ed. / prepared with the assistance of Rick Mattix \|location=Bloomington \|oclc=58797614}}</ref> The sheriff at the time was ], who held the office after the previous sheriff, her husband Roy, was shot and killed: although the media mocked her for Dillinger's escape, the fault lay with the prison warden and his officers.<ref>{{Cite book \|last=Schulz \|first=Dorothy Moses \|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/57435768 \|title=Breaking the brass ceiling : women police chiefs and their paths to the top \|date=2004 \|publisher=Praeger \|isbn=0-313-05215-8 \|location=Westport, Conn. \|oclc=57435768\|pp=116–117}}</ref>

			In 1975, the Sheriff was found in contempt for failing to improve conditions at the jail.<ref>{{cite book\|title=Clearinghouse Review\|volume=9\|publisher=National Clearinghouse for Legal Services\|date=1975\|page=280}}</ref>

			In 1985, Sheriff Rudy Bartolomei was indicted on corruption charges.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Lake County Sheriff Indicted On Corruption Charges \|url=https://apnews.com/article/2dfd46236e27a41fed9f86c300d48332 \|access-date=2022-11-09 \|website=AP NEWS \|language=en\|date=1985-03-04}}</ref>
			Bartolomei later turned state witness and was placed in witness protection after providing testimony against several Lake County political figures.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=THE CASE OF THE SINGING SHERIFF \|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-11-13-8802160613-story.html \|access-date=2022-11-09 \|website=Chicago Tribune}}</ref><ref name=Davich>{{Cite book \|last=Davich \|first=Jerry \|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1002476801 \|title=Crooked politics in Northwest Indiana \|date=2017 \|publisher=History Press \|isbn=1-4396-6009-3 \|location=Charleston, SC \|oclc=1002476801}}</ref>

			In 1990 the burned body of a deputy and his wife were found in a car in ]. The deputy was due to testify in a federal racketeering trial against a ] town councilman.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=BODIES MAY BE DEPUTY, WIFE \|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1990-01-16-9001040803-story.html \|access-date=2022-11-09 \|website=Chicago Tribune\|date=1990-01-16}}</ref>

			In 2016, Sheriff John Buncich was indicted on federal public corruption and bribery charges. His chief deputy and another person were also named in the charges.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2016-11-18 \|title=Lake County Sheriff John Buncich and Portage Indiana Mayor James Snyder Indicted Separately on Public Corruption Charges {{!}} United States Department of Justice \|url=https://edit.d9.justice.gov/usao-ndin/pr/lake-county-sheriff-john-buncich-and-portage-indiana-mayor-james-snyder-indicted \|access-date=2022-11-09 \|website=edit.d9.justice.gov \|language=en}}</ref>

			In 2021, officers of the ] police department began to pursue a vehicle for speeding 90 mph in a posted 45 mph zone. The vehicle was being driven by Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr., who activated the emergency lights on the vehicle, after which the police stopped their pursuit. The county commissioners soon sent a letter to the county prosecutor asking for an investigation into alleged misuse of county vehicles. In January 2022, Martinez was indicted on charges of resisting law enforcement and reckless driving.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Indiana Sheriff Charged With Fleeing Police Who Were Trying to Pull Him Over for Speeding \|url=https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/nw-indiana-sheriff-indicted-on-felony-misdemeanor-charges/2723519/ \|access-date=2022-11-09 \|website=NBC Chicago \|language=en-US\|date=2022-01-07}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|date=2022-03-16 \|title=Judge: Criminal case can proceed against NW Indiana sheriff \|url=https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/judge-criminal-case-can-proceed-against-nw-indiana-sheriff \|access-date=2022-11-09 \|website=WFYI Public Media \|language=en-us}}</ref> Martinez called the indictment a "witch hunt" and nevertheless ran for office in the 2022 election.<ref>{{Cite web \|first=Sarah \|last=Reese \|title=Indictment looms over race for Lake County sheriff \|url=https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/indictment-looms-over-race-for-lake-county-sheriff/article_aee6d0eb-f107-519e-9757-4a1a23001439.html \|access-date=2022-11-09 \|website=nwitimes.com \|language=en}}</ref> In February 2024, Martinez pleaded guilty to reckless driving, a misdemeanor, in exchange for a felony charge of resisting law enforcement to be dropped by prosecutors and was sentenced to sixty days probation.<ref>{{cite news\| author = Lizzie Kaboski\| title = Lake County sheriff pleads guilty to misdemeanor reckless driving\| newspaper = ]\| date = February 5, 2024\| url = https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-courts/oscar-martinez-sheriff-reckless-driving/article_2f5ce950-c444-11ee-a2d7-eb0fb392cbee.html\| accessdate = 2024-03-02}}</ref>

			==Organization==

			The Lake County Sheriff's Department employs 168 sworn police officers, 170 sworn corrections officers and 156 civilians under the sheriff's direction.<ref name=History> {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723154255/http://www.lakecountysheriff.com/history/history.htm \|date=2008-07-23 }}</ref>

			The command staff includes a chief of police and four commanders, each responsible for a division, who are assisted by deputy commanders. The Corrections Division is led by a chief warden, an assistant warden and three deputy wardens.<ref></ref>

			*'''Staff Services Division''' consists of the Bureau of Information, Bookkeeping, ], Property/Evidence Management, ], ] and Vehicle Maintenance Operations.<ref> {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723154408/http://www.lakecountysheriff.com/support/support.htm \|date=2008-07-23 }}</ref>
			*'''Civil Division''' is charged with serving ], ]s, ]s and ]s of the Lake County Superior and Circuit courts as well as from other jurisdictions.<ref> {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723154335/http://www.lakecountysheriff.com/civil/civil.htm \|date=2008-07-23 }}</ref>
			*'''Corrections Division''' operates the Lake County Jail and administers the Work Release Program designed as an alternative to incarceration for non-violent offenders.<ref> {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723154327/http://www.lakecountysheriff.com/corrections/corrections.htm \|date=2008-07-23 }}</ref> The modern Lake County Jail opened in 1975 in a five-floor facility with 286 beds. In 1991, capacity was increased to 460 beds and additions in 2000 provided for a total of 1,085 beds.<ref name=History/> A Special Operations Response Team (SORT) is utilized in controlling inmate disturbances and restoring order in emergency situations.
			*'''Criminal Investigations Division''' comprises the ], ], ], and ] units as well as the ]oratory and officers assigned to multi-jurisdictional task forces.<ref> {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723154415/http://www.lakecountysheriff.com/criminal/criminal.htm \|date=2008-07-23 }}</ref>
			*'''Uniform Division''' primarily provides police service to the unincorporated areas of the county and in the town of ] which does not have an established police department.<ref> {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723154439/http://www.lakecountysheriff.com/uniform/uniform.htm \|date=2008-07-23 }}</ref> This division also maintains an organized Bicycle Unit as well as a Traffic Unit which utilizes both ] and ]s for enforcement and has trained accident reconstructionists. The Court Security Unit provides security at all county courts located at the Lake County Government Center and at facilities in ], ] and ].

			The department also has a number of '''Special Operations Units''' with specifically trained personnel assigned for ], ], ], Chaplains, ], Marine, ] (SWAT) and a mobile communications Command Center.<ref> {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723154223/http://www.lakecountysheriff.com/specialops/specialops.htm \|date=2008-07-23 }}</ref>

			==Aircraft==
			The Lake County Sheriff's Department has three helicopters used for law enforcement in the county and for assistance to local police agencies. They are maintained by the Aviation Unit and are operated from the ] in ], ].

			According to FAA records, the helicopters currently registered to the agency include a Bell OH-58A {{airreg\|N\|512LC\|,}} a Bell OH-58A {{airreg\|N\|513LC}} and a Eurocopter EC120B {{airreg\|N\|516RD\|.}}

			==Demographics==

			{\| class="toccolours" align="left" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="margin:0 0 1em 1em; font-size: 90%; clear:right;"
			\|-
			\| colspan="3" bgcolor="#ccccff" align="center" \| '''Demographics'''<ref>
			{{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060927025451/http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/lemas00.pdf \|date=2006-09-27 }}</ref>
			\|- align="center"
			\|Male\|\|93%
			\|- align="center"
			\|Female\|\|7%
			\|- align="center"
			\|White\|\|71%
			\|- align="center"
			\|African-American\|\|16%
			\|- align="center"
			\|Hispanic\|\|13%
			\|- align="center"
			\|Asian\|\|0%
			\|}
			{{Clear}}

			==Fallen officers==
			In the history of the Lake County Sheriff's Department, seven officers have been killed in the line of duty.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://inlem.org/agency-list/\|title=Indiana Law Enforcement Memorial\|website=Indiana Law Enforcement Memorial\|access-date=March 2, 2024}}</ref>

			{\| class="wikitable"
			\|-
			! Name
			! Date of death
			! Age
			! Tenure
			! Cause of death
			\|-
			\|
			\| March 14, 1930
			\| 38
			\| 1 year
			\| Motorcycle accident
			\|-
			\|
			\| January 17, 1933
			\| 43
			\| 2 years
			\| Gunfire
			\|-
			\|
			\| March 21, 1984
			\| 51
			\| 10 years
			\| Gunfire
			\|-
			\|
			\| January 25, 1994
			\| 44
			\| 18 years
			\| Vehicular pursuit
			\|-
			\|
			\| June 12, 1999
			\| 24
			\| 1 year
			\| Automobile accident
			\|-
			\|
			\| August 22, 2006
			\| 63
			\| 28½ years
			\| Bicycle accident
			\|-
			\|
			\| March 6, 2012
			\| 25
			\| 3 years
			\| Vehicular assault
			\|-
			\|}

			==See also==
			{{Portal\|Indiana}}
			*]
			*]
			*]
			{{Clear}}

			==References==
			{{Reflist}}

			==External links==
			*
			*
			*

			]
			]
			]

Latest revision as of 04:22, 15 April 2024

This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject, potentially preventing the article from being verifiable and neutral. Please help improve it by replacing them with more appropriate citations to reliable, independent, third-party sources. (December 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Law enforcement agency

Lake County Sheriff's Department
Abbreviation	LCSD
Agency overview
Formed	1837; 187 years ago (1837)
Employees	494
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Lake County, Indiana, United States

Jurisdiction of Lake County Sheriff's Department
Size	Total 627 sq mi (1,623 km) - Land 499 sq mi (1,292 km) - Water 128 sq mi (330 km)
Population	496,005 (2010)
Legal jurisdiction	Lake County, Indiana
General nature	Local civilian police
Operational structure
Headquarters	2293 North Main Street Crown Point, Indiana
Merit officers	168 (police officers) 170 (corrections officers)
Civilian employees	156
Agency executives	Oscar Martinez, Jr., Sheriff Vincent M. Balbo, Chief of Police Edward G. Jenkins, Deputy Chief of Police
Facilities
Police Boats	7
Helicopters	3
Website
Lake County Sheriff's Website

The Lake County Sheriff's Department is the county law enforcement agency for Lake County, Indiana.

History

The first sheriff was elected in 1837, when Lake County was organized.

Notorious gangster John Dillinger was held in the Lake County jail from January 1934 to March, when he escaped. The sheriff at the time was Lillian Holley, who held the office after the previous sheriff, her husband Roy, was shot and killed: although the media mocked her for Dillinger's escape, the fault lay with the prison warden and his officers.

In 1975, the Sheriff was found in contempt for failing to improve conditions at the jail.

In 1985, Sheriff Rudy Bartolomei was indicted on corruption charges. Bartolomei later turned state witness and was placed in witness protection after providing testimony against several Lake County political figures.

In 1990 the burned body of a deputy and his wife were found in a car in Gary, Indiana. The deputy was due to testify in a federal racketeering trial against a Merrillville town councilman.

In 2016, Sheriff John Buncich was indicted on federal public corruption and bribery charges. His chief deputy and another person were also named in the charges.

In 2021, officers of the Crown Point, Indiana police department began to pursue a vehicle for speeding 90 mph in a posted 45 mph zone. The vehicle was being driven by Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr., who activated the emergency lights on the vehicle, after which the police stopped their pursuit. The county commissioners soon sent a letter to the county prosecutor asking for an investigation into alleged misuse of county vehicles. In January 2022, Martinez was indicted on charges of resisting law enforcement and reckless driving. Martinez called the indictment a "witch hunt" and nevertheless ran for office in the 2022 election. In February 2024, Martinez pleaded guilty to reckless driving, a misdemeanor, in exchange for a felony charge of resisting law enforcement to be dropped by prosecutors and was sentenced to sixty days probation.

Organization

The Lake County Sheriff's Department employs 168 sworn police officers, 170 sworn corrections officers and 156 civilians under the sheriff's direction.

The command staff includes a chief of police and four commanders, each responsible for a division, who are assisted by deputy commanders. The Corrections Division is led by a chief warden, an assistant warden and three deputy wardens.

Staff Services Division consists of the Bureau of Information, Bookkeeping, Human Resources, Property/Evidence Management, Telecommunications, Training and Vehicle Maintenance Operations.
Civil Division is charged with serving summons, subpoenas, evictions and writs of the Lake County Superior and Circuit courts as well as from other jurisdictions.
Corrections Division operates the Lake County Jail and administers the Work Release Program designed as an alternative to incarceration for non-violent offenders. The modern Lake County Jail opened in 1975 in a five-floor facility with 286 beds. In 1991, capacity was increased to 460 beds and additions in 2000 provided for a total of 1,085 beds. A Special Operations Response Team (SORT) is utilized in controlling inmate disturbances and restoring order in emergency situations.
Criminal Investigations Division comprises the General Assignment, Auto Theft, Special Victims Unit, and Warrant units as well as the Crime Laboratory and officers assigned to multi-jurisdictional task forces.
Uniform Division primarily provides police service to the unincorporated areas of the county and in the town of Winfield which does not have an established police department. This division also maintains an organized Bicycle Unit as well as a Traffic Unit which utilizes both patrol vehicles and motorcycles for enforcement and has trained accident reconstructionists. The Court Security Unit provides security at all county courts located at the Lake County Government Center and at facilities in East Chicago, Gary and Hammond.

The department also has a number of Special Operations Units with specifically trained personnel assigned for Aquatics Underwater Recovery and Rescue, Aviation, Bomb Squad, Chaplains, K-9, Marine, Tactical (SWAT) and a mobile communications Command Center.

Aircraft

The Lake County Sheriff's Department has three helicopters used for law enforcement in the county and for assistance to local police agencies. They are maintained by the Aviation Unit and are operated from the Griffith-Merrillville Airport in Griffith, Indiana.

According to FAA records, the helicopters currently registered to the agency include a Bell OH-58A N512LC, a Bell OH-58A N513LC and a Eurocopter EC120B N516RD.

Demographics

Demographics
Male	93%
Female	7%
White	71%
African-American	16%
Hispanic	13%
Asian	0%

Fallen officers

In the history of the Lake County Sheriff's Department, seven officers have been killed in the line of duty.

Name	Date of death	Age	Tenure	Cause of death
Deputy Sheriff George R. Zorodny	March 14, 1930	38	1 year	Motorcycle accident
Sheriff Roy F. Holley	January 17, 1933	43	2 years	Gunfire
Special Deputy Sheriff Charles E. McKinney	March 21, 1984	51	10 years	Gunfire
Sergeant William G. Paterson	January 25, 1994	44	18 years	Vehicular pursuit
Deputy Paul W. Mitchell	June 12, 1999	24	1 year	Automobile accident
Deputy Chief Gary L. Martin	August 22, 2006	63	28½ years	Bicycle accident
Correctional Officer Britney R. Meux	March 6, 2012	25	3 years	Vehicular assault

References

Bill Dolan (September 16, 2017). "New Lake County Sheriff Martinez credited experience, Hammond support for victory". The Times of Northwest Indiana. Retrieved 2017-09-16.
"Chief of Police biography". Lake County Sheriff's Department. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
"Deputy Chief of Police biography". Lake County Sheriff's Department. Retrieved 2017-09-29.
Girardin, G. Russell (2005). Dillinger : the untold story. William J. Helmer, Rick Mattix (Expanded ed. / prepared with the assistance of Rick Mattix ed.). Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-21633-8. OCLC 58797614.
Schulz, Dorothy Moses (2004). Breaking the brass ceiling : women police chiefs and their paths to the top. Westport, Conn.: Praeger. pp. 116–117. ISBN 0-313-05215-8. OCLC 57435768.
Clearinghouse Review. Vol. 9. National Clearinghouse for Legal Services. 1975. p. 280.
"Lake County Sheriff Indicted On Corruption Charges". AP NEWS. 1985-03-04. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
"THE CASE OF THE SINGING SHERIFF". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
Davich, Jerry (2017). Crooked politics in Northwest Indiana. Charleston, SC: History Press. ISBN 1-4396-6009-3. OCLC 1002476801.
"BODIES MAY BE DEPUTY, WIFE". Chicago Tribune. 1990-01-16. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
"Lake County Sheriff John Buncich and Portage Indiana Mayor James Snyder Indicted Separately on Public Corruption Charges | United States Department of Justice". edit.d9.justice.gov. 2016-11-18. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
"Indiana Sheriff Charged With Fleeing Police Who Were Trying to Pull Him Over for Speeding". NBC Chicago. 2022-01-07. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
"Judge: Criminal case can proceed against NW Indiana sheriff". WFYI Public Media. 2022-03-16. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
Reese, Sarah. "Indictment looms over race for Lake County sheriff". nwitimes.com. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
Lizzie Kaboski (February 5, 2024). "Lake County sheriff pleads guilty to misdemeanor reckless driving". The Times of Northwest Indiana. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
^ History of the Lake County Sheriff's Department Archived 2008-07-23 at the Wayback Machine
Command Staff of the Lake County Sheriff's Department
Administrative Services Division overview Archived 2008-07-23 at the Wayback Machine
Civil Division overview Archived 2008-07-23 at the Wayback Machine
Corrections Division overview Archived 2008-07-23 at the Wayback Machine
Criminal Investigations Division overview Archived 2008-07-23 at the Wayback Machine
Uniform Division overview Archived 2008-07-23 at the Wayback Machine
Special Operations Units overview Archived 2008-07-23 at the Wayback Machine
"FAA Registry (N512LC)". Federal Aviation Administration.
"FAA Registry (N513LC)". Federal Aviation Administration.
"FAA Registry (N516RD)". Federal Aviation Administration.
Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics, 2000: Data for Individual State and Local Agencies with 100 or More Officers Archived 2006-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
"Indiana Law Enforcement Memorial". Indiana Law Enforcement Memorial. Retrieved March 2, 2024.

External links

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