By Cletis Steele, Carbon County Sheriff’s Office
Over the past two weeks, our jail population reached 70 but is now back at 55 inmates. Of these 55 inmates, approximately 22 are serving commitments out of our District and Justice Court and the remaining 33 are being held on new charges, warrants, Drug Court, Utah Department of Corrections 72 Hour Holds or awaiting transport to the Utah State Prison. 16 of our current inmates are female.
The Carbon County Jail currently provides inmates with several classes on a weekly basis. Some of these classes are gender specific, including a Family Strengthening class offered for our female population. This is a ten-week class that is provided by Denice Madsen and Polly Atwood. This class has great attendance and is getting great reviews by our female population. Also offered at our facility are general education classes where our inmates can work toward furthering their education, Religion based classes as well as treatment by Four Corners Community Behavioral Health are also offered. The Carbon County Jail also has a library that can be used by our inmates.
In Carbon County, the local departments continue to work together and are making regular, high-profile arrests. Over the past week, Price City Police Department confiscated a large amount of methamphetamine, heroin and cash and took three individuals into custody. It is clear that arrests like these make a statement not only to our community, but also to the drug dealers. The majority of the recent drug arrests in Carbon County are not just people who struggle with addiction, but are people who are dealing illegal drugs in our community and preying on people who struggle with addiction.
The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office is almost at full staff and this gives us more opportunity to patrol certain areas of the county on a regular basis. Every week, we have deputies in the Scofield area running radar and making their presence known. We have been in all parts of the county including East Carbon, Sunnyside and Columbia as well as Miller Creek, Kenilworth, Wellington and the Helper area. Being nearly full staffed, we have more coverage and more deputies on the road ready to handle any call at any time.
Last week, deputy Wally Hendricks completed Public Information Officer training in Salt Lake. Deputy Braydon Summarell is currently in day five of the “Hell Week” Swat School in Utah County. Both of these trainings will definitely benefit our department and our community.
On many occasions, a deputy or a police officer appears in public and in uniform and is approached by people and asked to tell their child that they need to be good or they are going to be taken to jail. This gives children the idea that law enforcement is not there to help but to punish instead. The Carbon County community needs to know that we are doing everything we can and will continue doing whatever we can to reassure your family that we are the Good Guys and not the Bad Boys and when you need us, we will be on our way.