Bill Meyerrose is a lifelong resident of and has spent his entire law enforcement career serving the citizens of Decatur County. Meyerrose believes that to serve the people as the leader of a law enforcement agency, it is important that the person have knowledge of all areas of the department. Meyerrose has worked as a patrol officer, a detective and served as Chief of Police, therefore gaining the experience in all areas of a law enforcement agency. Lastly, Meyerrose has spent the last six of his 32 total years in law enforcement serving as Investigator for the Decatur County Prosecutors Office, working daily with all law enforcement agencies in Decatur County.
Meyerrose will bring even-tempered leadership to all employees at the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department and rebuild the partnerships of agencies working in Decatur County. Meyerrose will invest his experiences in law enforcement, which have been proven successful, into the next generation of law enforcement that will serve Decatur County. The top priority will be partnerships: working together, not independently. We will work together with law enforcement agencies, county fire departments, and our schools, to better serve the people of Decatur County. As for the employees, one major key will be to commit to maintaining staffing levels so that no one is working short staffed. Failure to maintain an adequate level of staff in an agency causes items to be missed, making patrol and detention deputies vulnerable while placing the county at risk for liability.
Meyerrose will provide the deputies with the tools they need to be successful and safe, supporting the people who serve the people. A priority will be providing all deputies with body worn cameras. The state legislature has budgeted money for local departments such as ours to facilitate this purchase. These body worn cameras will provide crucial evidence in criminal cases, expediting the cases through the court system, as well as protecting the deputies and the county from civil liability.
As for the detention center, Meyerrose is a firm believer in providing programs and treatment to those who have drifted to a place where they need help. The county is now transitioned to the new facility which was necessary to provide these programs. The faith based Residents Encountering Christ (REC) program currently being provided at the detention center WILL continue and programs added. To take rehabilitation a step further, the Jail Chemical Addiction Program (JCAP) will also be implemented to provide inmates with an additional resource for a successful outcome. The key to successful rehabilitation is to provide support during detention and a foundation for continued services once they are released, whether that is a faith based program or an evidence based program.
Unfortunately, during this time of economic struggles coupled with substance abuse and addiction issues, property crimes such as theft and burglaries are occurrences that our citizens and law enforcement deal with on a daily a basis. Better communication with other law enforcement agencies, along with treating these property crimes as investigations rather than just a report for insurance will be a priority if Meyerrose is elected.
Lastly, if elected, Meyerrose intends to be in the office where you can find him, with an open door policy for all of the citizens of Decatur County to be able to stop in and share their concerns and ideas. Action is what provides results, not the loud talk of action. Mark Twain said, “Thunder is good, thunder is impressive; but it is lightning that does the work”. Meyerrose said: “I will be at work, doing the work, working with and along-side our deputies as we all work together as partners to serve Decatur County.”