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| The '''Lake County Sheriff's Department''' is the county law enforcement agency for ], ]. The first ] was elected in 1837, when Lake County 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 of 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 Lillian Holley, who had become sheriff 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 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 pursued a vehicle for speeding well above the posted speed limit. 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 of 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 ran for office in the 2022 election despite it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=sarah.reese@nwi.com, 219-933-3351 |first=Sarah 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> | |||
| ==Organization== | ==Organization== | ||
Revision as of 02:53, 9 November 2022
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| 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 km²) - Land 499 sq mi (1,292 km²) - Water 128 sq mi (330 km²) |
| Population | 496,005 (2010) |
| Legal jurisdiction | Lake County, Indiana |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | 2293 North Main Street Crown Point, Indiana |
| Merit officers | 168 (police officers) 170 (corrections officers) |
| Civilian employees | 156 |
| Agency executives |
|
| 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 of 1934 to March, when he escaped. The sheriff at the time was Lillian Holley, who had become sheriff 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 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 pursued a vehicle for speeding well above the posted speed limit. 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 of 2022, Martinez was indicted on charges of resisting law enforcement and reckless driving. Martinez called the indictment a "witch hunt" and ran for office in the 2022 election despite it.
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, six officers have been killed in the line of duty.
| Name | Date of death | Age | Tenure | Cause of death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deputy Sheriff George R. Zorodney | March 14, 1930 | 38 | 1 year | Motorcycle accident |
| Sheriff Roy F. Holley | January 16, 1933 | 43 | 4 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 |
| Corrections Officer Britney R. Meux | March 6, 2012 | 25 | 3 years | Vehicular assault |
See also
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.
- "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.
- sarah.reese@nwi.com, 219-933-3351, Sarah Reese. "Indictment looms over race for Lake County sheriff". nwitimes.com. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ 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
- The Officer Down Memorial Page