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LCSO 2011 News

12-27-2011
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is pleased to announce its newest NCMEC 9-1-1 Call Center Partner!
The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office (Walnut Ridge, AR) has completed the required steps to become a NCMEC 9-1-1 Call Center Partner, demonstrating their commitment to protecting children. Through training and adoption of best practices in policies and procedures, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office is ready to respond to a call reporting a missing, abducted, or exploited child. By completing the partner program, the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office has created a child-centered 9-1-1 system based on the belief that there is nothing more important to our community than protecting children, according to William Hinkle, NCMEC Call Center Program Executive Committee Chairman.
Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office is one of a growing list of professional 9-1-1 agencies that have achieved this recognition. Through their achievement, recipients of this award have demonstrated a commitment to improving the standard of care for the children in our cities and towns across the nation.
Requirements were that deputies and dispatchers take online classes about how best to respond to calls of missing and exploited children. Also required was that Sheriff Dotson attend chief executive training in Washington DC. NCMEC paid all expenses of the training. The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office started the process back in the summer.

9-1-2011-The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office will hold a RX takeback on October 29, 2011 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.


9-26-2011
Sheriff Jody Dotson attended the 101st session of the National Sheriff’s Institute held in Longmont, Colorado from September 18th through September 24th, 2011. Sheriff Dotson is the first graduate from the institute from Lawrence County and only the 3rd from the State of Arkansas. Sheriff Dotson joined 28 other sheriff’s from around the country for training. Fred G. Wilson, NSA Director of Operations said, “Sheriff Dotson is a leader with vision for the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office”.The NSA is located in Alexandria, Virgina and represents nearly 3,100 elected sheriff’s across the nation with more than 18,000 members.

8-18-2011- The Imboden Sub-Station Open House and Ribbon Cutting was held on August 18th. NEW photo’s added to the Sheriff’s Office website. http://www.lawrencecountysheriffsoffice.com/about/lcso-photos/imboden-sub-station-open-house/

8-9-11 Tuesday, Sheriff Jody Dotson sent 3 volunteer inmates to cut the overgrown weeds at the Lawrence County Fair Rodeo Arena. With the rodeo just over a week from being in town, preparations are underway to get the arena ready.
Sheriff Dotson has sent a total of 5 inmates to the arena to help out. He utilizes his Reserve Program to escort the inmates to and from the work site, as well as over see the work being done. The inmates worked for just over 3 hours today, cutting weeds around the arena, concession stand, ticket booth and entrances.
The inmate work program has inmates helping out all over Lawrence County. Sheriff Dotson says the inmates are currently working at the airport in Walnut Ridge, Clover Bend and Portia on different projects

 

 

 

7-18-2011-Children at the Summer Reading Program being held at the Bobbie Jean Memorial Library received a visit Monday from Deputy Shawn Johnson of the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Johnson put on his Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Program for all in attendance. The program focuses on Gun Safety and teaches the children how not to pick up guns if found, but rather to inform an adult. Deputy Johnson spoke with the children, showed a video and did some fun exercises with them.The children received coloring books, stickers and gun locks donated by the Imboden Area Charter School.

July 3rd, 2011– For the 2011 Portia Picnic, Sheriff Dotson decided to set up the Sheriff’s Office Mobile Command Center. Sheriff Dotson set up a table out front for handing out coloring books as well as child ID kits and candy to the children while he spoke with the parents.
Sheriff Dotson had Patrol Deputies as well as Reserve Deputies at the Command Center and roaming around the Portia Picnic which the Sheriff said went well.
The Command Center has a roof mounted camera that is able to monitor the entire event. Some children were able to see “Ben”, the County K-9 Officer and Officer Blake Liscomb. Sheriff Dotson says he enjoys opportunities for himself and his deputies to get out into the public and talk to residents.

June 15th 2011-Lawrence County Officers Attend Investigation Class In North Carolina. Captain Stan Finley, Deputy Jamie White and eight other officers from the 3rd Judicial District traveled to Youngsville North Carolina to the headquarters of SIRCHIE to participate in training. The Class was held June 6th through June 10th.
The officers trained in new finger printing and foot print retrieving techniques. Captain Finley explained how the class was taught to retrieve finger prints from objects such as wood, duct tape and wet surfaces. Also bloody finger printing and bloody shoe print techniques were taught to the officers.
Captain Finley stated this training was very valuable to the Sheriff’s Office CID Unit, the CID Unit investigates crimes all over Lawrence County, from thefts to violent crimes.

 

April 07, 2011- the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deptment started its County Work Project. Yesterday 3 inmates on District Court sentences were taken out on Highway 412 outside of Walnut Ridge to pick up trash. Inmates will be able to cut their jail sentences in half by participating in the work program. The work program will save the county thousands of dollars in expenses of trash removal and by getting people out of jail faster.
Tomorrow a community service worker will be assigned to the Lawrence County Road Dept to work for 35 days cleaning out culverts on county roads, this to will save the county money and make our roads better. The AR Highway Dept provided the trash bags and safety vests for the workers. Sheriff Jody Dotson of the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office stated “I am really excited about this program and what it can do for the county.” Inmates will be out working on days that weather permits.

4-1-2011-Visit our NEW Most Wanted – Capture page here on the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office website.

4-1-2011– Congratulations to Rocky Chappell for being promoted to Sargent!

3.29.2011- Sheriff Dotson instructed a Meth Awareness and Saftey Class held at the Sedgwick Community Center. Representatives from the Sedgwick, Hoxie, Walnut Ridge, Alicia and Portia Fire Departments along with Lawrence County Deputies and personnel from the Lawrence County Dispatch Center were in attendance on Monday, March 28th.Sheriff Dotson explained how dangerous Methamphetamine are to everyone in the area. Dotson gave an eye-opening example to those in the class, “for every one pound of meth, a lab creates up to 6 pounds of toxic waste”, this is waste that goes into our ground water, dangerous waste that is thrown out on our roadsides.Along with the instructions on how labs work, the Sheriff also instructed the class on where Meth originated and how it has changed over the years. The class was very informative for all who were in attendance.

 

Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office To Host 2nd RX Takeback Program In April

Sheriff Jody Dotson has announced that the Sheriff’s Department will host it’s 2nd RX Takeback Program on April 30th starting at 8 a.m.
The first of the takeback programs was held at the Sheriff’s Office in Walnut Ridge back in September, the LCSO collected almost 45 pounds of unwanted prescription drugs in one day! This years program will expand on the September Takeback by having two locations to drop off the prescriptions. The medications may be dropped off at the Sheriff’s Office in Walnut Ridge and in addition, residents in western Lawrence County will be able to drop off at the parking lot of the Imboden Area Charter School located on Hwy 63 in Imboden. Sheriff Dotson hopes that with the two locations to able to recover even more unwanted prescription medications.
Also Sheriff Dotson reminds everyone that unwanted medication may be dropped off anytime at the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, a Drop Box is located in the lobby of the Sheriff’s Office.

3-10-2011-Students of Sloan Hendrix lower and upper elementary schools were treated to a “Drug Prevention Program” hosted by Sheriff Jody Dotson and the Arkansas Sheriff’s Association. Kindergarten through 3rd grade students were introduced to “PC” the talking, dancing patrol car. Students were informed on the dangers of tobacco, alcohol and drugs in a very fun and exciting program, the children were also presented coloring books at the end of the program and were able to spend a moment with Deputy Harold Willett, K-9 Officer Blake Liscomb and Ben the K-9.Upper elementary students were presented a power-point presentation on tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs as well. The older student’s program was more focused on dangerous inhalant abuse and the dangers of driving while drinking.
Sheriff Dotson and the Deputies spent a moment with the upper elementary students as they returned to class. The Sheriff also gave coloring books to the teachers to distribute to the students. Supt. Mitch Walton thanked the Sheriff for coming to the school and presenting the program.


2-23-11-Sheriff Jody Dotson reports that a phone tip from a person that had seen James Clutter on the “Most Wanted” page of the Sheriff’s Office website came into the Sheriff’s Office Tuesday.The caller stated the James Clutter was in Randolph County and was heading into Lawrence County on Hwy 90. Deputies responded to the area where Clutter was stopped with the assistance of the Ravenden Police Department. Deputy Rocky Chappell transported James Clutter to the Lawrence County Jail. Clutter has charges of Failure to Appear (times 3), Failure to Pay Fines (times 2), Driving Without Insurance and No License On Vehicle.

 

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1-26-2011-The Lawrence County Sheriff’s office installed a permanent drop-off box to collect unused or outdated prescription drugs located in the lobby of the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office.The Prescription Drug Drop Box provides a permanent place where residents can safely dispose of legal drugs that present dangers if they’re used illicitly or fall into the hands of children. Also located above the drop box is a container donated by Lawrence Memorial Hospital where syringes may be disposed of.