1 year ago
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MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- The fig of deputies continues to diminution rapidly astatine the Merced County Sheriff's Office.
Last week, the section rolled retired an online reporting system for non-violent crimes.
Sheriff Vern Warnke says can't judge successful his decades of acquisition that the shortage would travel to this.
"September volition beryllium 45 years I'll beryllium with this agency, and ne'er erstwhile did I think, that we would not beryllium capable to bash a idiosyncratic interaction for calls to work wherever the deputies really proceed to respond to your house," said Merced Co. Sheriff, Vern Warnke.
Sheriff Warnke says the occupation is that deputies are not getting paid capable and are leaving for different counties, present residents are arsenic concerned.
"I privation to beryllium capable to telephone 911. I privation to beryllium capable to telephone the Sheriff's section and say, 'Hey, I request a lawman retired here," said Merced County Resident, Jason Tucker. "It could beryllium an ongoing threat, it could beryllium a concern that gets worse, it conscionable doesn't marque immoderate sense."
The days of picking up the telephone and calling 911 for non-violent crimes successful Merced County are over.
"I cognize first-hand the ineffectiveness. There's nary 1 to adjacent reply those calls," said Merced County Resident, Rebecca Tucker.
Jason Tucker and his woman unrecorded successful a much agrarian portion of the region and accidental they are acrophobic for their safety, particularly since the Sheriff present has to respond to calls himself.
"When your apical feline is each that's near to respond to calls, you got nobody," said Jason Tucker.
Sheriff Vern Warnke is arsenic frustrated with the caller portal and knows it volition lone alteration reporting.
"The folks that are producing the precise nutrient we eat, they're getting ripped disconnected near and right, and I cognize for a information that they are not reporting each the thefts oregon the vandalism, everything," said Sheriff Warnke.
He tells maine immoderate radical aren't arsenic tech-savvy, and helium suspects they volition struggle.
Residents spoke retired astatine Tuesday's committee meeting, but the supervisors did not person immoderate items connected their docket to code staffing concerns.
Supervisor Scott Silviera says they are moving connected solutions successful closed sessions and are successful negotiations with the Deputy Sheriffs Association union.
The region precocious offered deputies an 8 percent raise, but Silveria says it was declined due to the fact that the national said it wasn't enough.
"We cognize it's a problem, and I don't person the reply today, and that's frustrating. That's what keeps maine up astatine night," said Silveira.
Sheriff Warnke believes 1 solution is for him to beryllium capable to power his department's fund and thinks helium tin get deputies to instrumentality to the county.
Until then, helium says helium won't springiness up and volition bash what helium was elected to do: support and serve.
"Quite frankly, it's this bureau that erstwhile everything other fails. They travel to this bureau to help, and we volition proceed to bash so, close down to the past gunslinger, which volition astir apt beryllium me," said Sheriff Warnke.
Each Merced Co. Supervisor has upcoming municipality hallway meetings for residents, you tin find much accusation HERE.
Sheriff Warnke says nationalist information leaders were not invited, truthful helium plans to clasp his ain soon.
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