Are you interested in having your address “flagged” in the Jackson County E911 dispatch system so that emergency responders (Police, Fire, Ambulance) can be informed of a person with a disability before they arrive?
     The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is announcing an initiative to gather this information in order for emergency responders within Jackson County to better serve the community where special circumstances such as, but not limited to, Autism, Dementia, Alzheimer’s and Tourette's disease may impede communication in urgent situations. All information that is provided will be kept completely confidential and used only when there is a call for service to the corresponding telephone number and/or address.
      Anyone wishing to supply this information can obtain a copy of the “Emergency Response Information for Individuals with a Disability” form at the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, or download it now ( Adobe Reader Required to View) and mail the completed copy to:
                  Jackson County Sheriff’s Office
                  212 W. Wesley Street
                  Jackson, MI 49201

Keeping pace with current technology is a challenge for everyone. At the Jackson County Sheriff Department, we believe staying technologically current is essential to our long term mission. Not everything coming down the pike is affordable or applicable to law enforcement but we have actively pursued the technology that is. Budgets being what they are, we do not anticipate getting additional personnel anytime soon. What we must do is employ new technological advancements which enable existing personnel to keep up with increasing calls for service.

To that end, two projects are worthy of note. Thanks to a grant from the Department of Homeland Security, we are currently upgrading our public safety radio/data communication system. Improvements will ensure a microwave data transmission system which will increase the transmission capabilities of our in-car computer system. Let me give an example. We are now able to flash criminal mug shots to patrol car laptop computers for identification purposes. This is extremely valuable for apprehension and officer safety purposes. Radio interoperability between police and fire will become a reality for county public safety agencies for the first time, thanks to this project. Firefighter paging will be enhanced to allow for county wide simulcasting in keeping with the current trend toward mutual aide agreements between fire departments.

As a companion project, police agencies in Jackson will be adjusting to a new software package which allows officers to submit reports from in-car computers rather than the traditionally slow method of dictation and transcription. “Field Reporting” software is probably the single most significant advancement for police since the development of the radio. Deputies can immediately access and share crime information via their in-car computers that was formerly a time consuming and laborious search. Any police journal consulted will suggest the same thing; efficient exchange of information is the key to success when it comes to effective crime fighting.

The Jackson County Sheriff Department remains committed to providing its employees with the best equipment available to complete their mission. Keeping pace with changing technology is always a struggle but this is a challenge we intend to manage. Effective leadership embraces new ways to be productive. As Sheriff, this is a tradition I intend to continue.