IN ALEXANDER COUNTY, SHERIFF'S UNIT STRAPPED

CAIRO, Ill. -- Warren "Buddy" Mitchell says he needs more money to operate the Alexander County Sheriff's Department in 1993.

Louis Maze, a member of the county board, says the county has reached the bottom of the barrel in funds.

"Our budget is unrealistic," said Mitchell, who has been sheriff since 1982 and plans to run again when his term expires. "We had a budget of $280,000 last year and the board cut it to $204,000 for next year.

"We just can't live with that and provide all the services we need to provide." said Mitchell. "I realize that the board has its financial problems, but I have to disagree on this budget."

Mitchell said he has a total of 15 employees, about half of them part-time.

"We're willing to work with the sheriff's department," said Maze. "If we had more money we'd give it to him, but the only way we could do that is to cut services by other offices in the county. We feel that if the sheriff is a good manager he can get the job done."

Maze said the board was unhappy with an earlier announcement by Mitchell that the department would have to cease its patrols. "That's an invitation to criminals," said Maze.

Mitchell agreed, and will continue with the county and safety patrols. "We don't want to do anything to jeopardize the residents of the county," he said. "Crime is up throughout the county."

Mitchell said some cuts would have to be made in the department, however.

"Criminal trials have helped drain the sheriff's department's funds," said Mitchell. "We have had a lot of trials here in 1992, and during a trial we provide services in getting the prisoners to and from the courtroom."

Some of the other mandates required of the sheriff's department are feeding, housing and providing medical care for prisoners.

"We average about eight or nine prisoners a day," said Mitchell. "We also have to deliver subpoenas and summonses and act on warrants. Right now we have 400 active warrants in our file.

"We feel the sheriff can operate his office with less people," said Maze. "Our doors are always open to the sheriff; but, again, we just have so much money and the only way to get more is to raise taxes. We don't want to do that."

Mitchell said he would probably have to visit the board before the end of the fiscal year. "I keep the board up to date," he said.

The budget problems came up in Alexander recently when employees of the sheriff's department signed a letter that was sent to the news media.

"We felt it was time to let the people of the county find out what is happening to their law enforcement," said Michelle Deming, one of the five authors of the letter. "We listen to the county board say there is no money for law enforcement (the sheriff's department) but the board can manage to give raises to other employees in the courthouse."

Others who signed the letter were Sgt. William McHughs, Lt. Rodney Lacey, Jeff Petzoldt, and William Bowers.

Maze explained the raises.

"Other employees are members of a union," he said. "They do receive small raises. The sheriff's department voted not to become part of the union."

The letter by the sheriff's department's employees says the sheriff has no control over a lot of expenses incurred by the department.

"This department has more prisoners in jail now than they have ever had before," the letter explained. "Once they are in jail, it is our duty to see that they have three meals a day. If they (prisoners) are sick, they must be treated, and medication bought."

The letter explained other duties by the department such as serving papers, working traffic, delivering meals to prisoners, dispatching calls to the fire departments and ambulance services, and performing custodial duties at the courthouse.

"At this time there is one deputy on duty during the day shift, along with a jailer and a secretary," the letter said. "During the evenings there is one deputy and the dispatcher-jailer."

Mitchell said he worked in many capacities bailiff, custodian and jailer in addition to his regular duties as sheriff.

"The county board also has a history of not paying its bills," the letter read. "At this time the sheriff's department cannot house anyone anywhere else because the county still owes a bill on housing prisoners in 1992."

The Alexander County Jail has space for 16 prisoners two to a cell but a federal consent decree permits only eight prisoners at the jail.

The letter also said "a lot of people in the county badmouth the sheriff's department for not doing the job. It is time to let the people of this county know that as officers of the Alexander County Sheriff's Department, we want to do our jobs and try to help the county's citizens."

The letter asks:

"How can this be done when the county board controls the purse strings and will not allow the money for the sheriff to do the job?"

The letter raised one other question: "Could it be that one of the board members has his sights set on the sheriff' seat in 1994 and is doing everything he can to get the people of this county angry at the present sheriff in hopes that he can win the job?"

In answer to the letter, Maze said the county board's doors are always open.

"I'm willing to talk to anyone about the sheriff's department or any other subject," said Maze. "As for the sheriff's job, I do expect to see some competition to Mitchell when filing times comes around in December of 1993."