Assisting other counties could get easier for sheriffs

A proposed Missouri House bill would simplify the process of sheriffs deputies assisting in another county.

State Rep. Kenneth Wilson, R-Smithville, is sponsoring House Bill 1936, which would allow a sheriff or deputy sheriff to assist each other’s sheriff departments, even if they are not in adjoining counties.

“There’s a need out there and a lot of these rural counties have a sheriff and a couple of deputies and they don’t have much of a budget ... Crime knows no county line, township — crime goes everywhere,” Wilson said.

The current law allows sheriffs and deputy sheriffs in adjoining counties to provide assistance to one another.

“When Joplin, Missouri, had their tornado and when they called for assistance we were able to send seven officers to assist,” said Col. Bill Puett of the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department. “However, they had to get some paperwork done prior to our officers responding. So this (bill) cleans it up and makes it quicker and easier.”

Puett and several other members of the major case squad respond to other counties for assistance.

“Some of these larger counties have the resources, training, skills and the man power to go and assist another county, but by state law a county sheriff can only assist an adjoining county. ... That really restricts it,” Wilson said.

HB 1936 also states a sheriff or deputy sheriff providing assistance in another county would be considered an employee of the responding county’s department, and they would receive benefits like workers’ compensation, overtime and expense reimbursement.

“The sheriffs are in need of it ... I’m happy that we are going to have a debate on this,” Wilson said.

The House Select Committee on State and Local Governments voted to move the bill forward, but it has yet to be scheduled on the House calendar.

———

Visit the St. Joseph News-Press (St. Joseph, Mo.) at www.newspressnow.com/index.html

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.