The Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department is coming up with new ways to keep the citizens and businesses of Oktibbeha County safe.
The Feel Safe Program was implemented when Sheriff Steve Gladney took office earlier this year. Since then, officials with the department have reported fewer burglaries this year when compared to last year.
When a deputy is on patrol, he or she may stop at a home or a business and leave a bright orange note on either the door of the business or the mailbox of a residence. The note has the sheriff’s department logo and reads: “Dear property Owner, While you were away from your property or in the comfort of your home, an Oktibbeha County deputy was on patrol and checked the security of your property.”
Burglaries of occupied dwellings are down significantly, from seven home invasions reported in 2011 to zero in 2012.
Lt. Brett Watson with the department’s investigations and narcotics division, said that burglaries of commercial buildings are down 25 percent as well as a decrease in auto burglaries.
There was a slight decrease in burglaries of a residence at a reported six-percent drop.
Before Gladney took office in January, it was common for deputies to work burglaries. Now, all felony crimes are handled by the investigations division.
With four investigators to relieve that burden from deputies, Watson said he believes the combination of his unit strictly handling burglaries and the Feel Safe program gives deputies more time to patrol and protect the streets of Oktibbeha County.
The OCSO Investigations Division has handled fewer than 100 burglaries this year.
Sarah Fowler covered crime, education and community related events for The Dispatch.
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