By Cheryl Splain, KnoxPages.com Reporter
MOUNT VERNON — The Knox County Sheriff’s Office is taking another step to help addicts get the treatment they need to overcome their addictions.
Sheriff David Shaffer told the Knox County Commissioners on Thursday that the Newark Police Department is having good success finding people who are ready to get into a drug treatment program. Licking County’s NARI program, Newark Addiction Recovery Initiative, encourages addicts to turn over their drugs and paraphernalia in return for treatment and no legal consequences. He said NARI has had good luck working with Behavioral Healthcare Partners, the same mental health and addiction treatment organization with which Knox County works. Shaffer plans to start working on a similar program for Knox County in the near future.
Currently, the Freedom Center provides drug counseling to Knox County jail inmates while they are incarcerated.
Capt. Jay Sheffer reported that the new body cameras are in and close to being online. Two villages still need to update their servers in order to tie into the system. He hopes to test the cameras during the Knox County Fair, pending training for the deputies.
The KCSO processed 981 concealed carry permits the first six months of 2016. Of those, 779 were new and 184 renewals; seven permits were suspended, 65 revoked and 31 denied. In 2015, 419 permits were processed; 412 were processed in 2014.
Shaffer reported the current jail population stands at 76 and includes one from Fairfield County, three from Lawrence County, two from Perry County and six federal. Twenty-one are women.
Shaffer and the commissioners went into executive session to discuss matters relating to jail security. No action was taken.