I have compiled a list of the 2007 statistics for the Court Services Division.  Each category for the annual report has been broken down and explained in the following format: 

 EVIDENCE COLLECTION:   

     In order to prove criminal cases, it may become necessary for Deputies to collect and store evidence at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.  Evidence collected may be as small as a piece of paper or as large as a motor vehicle.  Whatever the case may be, it is the responsibility of the evidence technician to properly file and store evidence for various cases.  It is important to note that not all property collected by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office is for the sole purpose of pursuing a criminal case.  Many times the Lake County Sheriff’s Office is called upon to hold items for safekeeping.  An example of such a request may come from the Domestic Relations Court.  It is not uncommon for the Sheriff’s Office to receive an order from a Judge, directing us to remove weapons (mainly firearms) from what the court deems a “volatile home” anywhere in Lake County.  Many cases, whether they be criminal or civil in nature, remain in evidence until released by a Judge or Prosecutor.  This process alone may take many years to complete.  

2007 Statistics: 

S.O.R.N.: 

     In recent years there have been laws/provisions made to the ORC in regards to sex offenders who are either incarcerated or have been released from prison.  Sheriffs’ Offices throughout the State of Ohio have been tasked with the important responsibility of tracking sex offenders.  The responsibility involves registering offenders either once a year or every (90) days, depending on their classification.  Deputies assigned to this responsibility must keep updated records of offenders, where they reside, and or where they work.  It is also the responsibility of these Deputies to notify the residents and local schools when a registered sex offender moves into their community.  These notifications are almost always made in the form of mass mailings which is supported by the taxpayers of Lake County. 

2007 Statistics: 

-          In properly documenting the moves of registered sex offenders there were 4,520 offender notifications made throughout various communities in Lake County for 2007. 

-          Notifications resulted in a mail cost of $1,175.20     

-          As of 12-31-2007, there were (167) sex offenders/predators registered and residing in Lake County.  This number is up (74) from last year.  There are an additional (92) sex offenders/predators registered through this office who are currently in prison.     

CCW:          

            As with sex offender registrations, Sheriffs’ Offices throughout the State of Ohio have been given the statutory responsibility of issuing concealed weapons permits.  Permits may be issued on a permanent/renewable basis or on a temporary/emergency basis.  Registrations involve the verification of an applicants mandated firearms training and the completion of a criminal background investigation.  Deputies must also issue a physical permit which is subject to revocation if the CCW law is not followed by the permit holder.  What is important to note is that anyone may apply for a CCW permit in their home county or in an adjacent county.  Not all CCW permit applicants who have registered in Lake County are residents of this county.   

2007 Statistics: 

     A total of (93) certified letters were mailed for the suspended, revoked, and denied CCW permits.  Each mailing is $5.21 for a total cost of $484.53.   

ISSUANCE OF COURT ORDERS: 

     Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies are responsible for the issuing of different orders from the Lake County Courts of Common Pleas.  These orders are in the form of indictments, domestic violence protection orders, civil stalking orders, warrants on indictment, and civil/criminal subpoenas   The Lake County Sheriff’s Office will also deliver papers from other county courts as long as the recipient of those papers resides in Lake County. 

2007 Statistics:

SHERIFF’S SALES:   

     For 2007, the Lake County Sheriff has continued to see a rise in the area of Sheriff’s Sales.  With the exception of replevins, all other categories are on the rise.   

2007 Statistics:

2007 Foreclosure Amounts:

FUGITIVE EXTRADITIONS/WARRANTS:

      Whether an arrest warrant has been issued by a grand jury or through a probable cause hearing, it is the responsibility of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office to locate and apprehend those individuals.  In many cases people flee prosecution at which point they become fugitives.  Regardless if someone has fled 1 mile or 3000 miles, it is our responsibility to apprehend these individuals and bring them back to Lake County for their day in court.  Many fugitives leave the State of Ohio figuring they can simply blend in with society to avoid prosecution.  Some feel the further they travel the better off they are.  This is not the case.  Fugitive extraditions require coordination not only logistically, but financially. 

     The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is always looking at ways to save taxpayers money in order to bring fugitives back to Lake County for their necessary court hearings.   Outside of having L.C.S.O. Deputies bring fugitives back to Ohio, which may be costly, assistance from the U.S. Marshall’s Office, Prisoner Transport Services and TransCor may be needed.  Based on the amount of prisoner transports the U.S. Marshall’s Office completes across the country daily, they are able to bring fugitives back from a far away state much cheaper than the L.C.S.O.  The same holds true for Prisoner Transport Services and TransCor, which are private prisoner transportation companies.  By using the U.S. Marshall’s, TransCor, and Prisoner Transport Services, we have saved the taxpayers thousands of dollars annually.  We no longer have to pay Deputies to travel to far away locations, which would include the cost of meals, hotel accommodations, and air fare.  Exceptional cases aside, Deputies from the L.C.S.O. mainly handle extraditions that do not require an overnight stay.

2007 Statistics:

*NOTE:  The above arrest numbers represent out of state extraditions.  This year alone, fugitives were extradited from California, New York, Connecticut, West Virginia, Missouri, Minnesota, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Texas, Illinois, Florida, Oregon, Alabama, Kansas, South Carolina and various other Federal Institutions located throughout the United States.

     The Lake County Sheriff’s Office currently holds about 852 outstanding arrest warrants.  This number is slightly elevated from last year, but is considered low, considering the fact that warrants are received here at the Sheriff’s Office on a daily basis.  Communication and coordination with other local, state, and federal police agencies is key to having successful criminal apprehensions when pursuing fugitives.  The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is always seeking innovative ways to locate fugitives.  Thanks to technological advances and an outstanding rapport with other police agencies, fugitive apprehensions were very successful for 2007.

2007 Statistics:

COURT HOUSE SECURITY:   

     With public safety being paramount, there have been numerous changes in the security procedures at the various Lake County Common Pleas Courts in the past few years.  One item in particular is the way we track and prohibit contraband from entering into the Lake County Court House and the Lake County Juvenile Detention Facility.  By tracking our progress we are able to fairly evaluate what might be missed if we were not diligent in our duties.  The following numbers represent what was barred in 2007: 

      Ø                  (180) Items of contraband were barred in January of 2007.
Ø                  (203) Items of contraband were barred in February of 2007.
Ø                  (256) Items of contraband were barred in March of 2007.
Ø                  (176) Items of contraband were barred in April of 2007.
Ø                  (158) Items of contraband were barred in May of 2007.
Ø                  (214) Items of contraband were barred in June of 2007.
Ø                  (177) Items of contraband were barred in July of 2007.
Ø                  (204) Items of contraband were barred in August of 2007.
Ø                  (153) Items of contraband were barred in September of 2007.
Ø                  (182) Items of contraband were barred in October of 2007.
Ø                  (156) Items of contraband were barred in November of 2007.
Ø                  (161) Items of contraband were barred in December of 2007.

TOTAL:  2,220 items 

*NOTE:  Contraband has been determined to be any weapon, item that may be used as a weapon, or item not permitted into the court house by a Judge’s order. 

PRISONER TRANSPORTS:  

     It is the responsibility of the Deputies from the Court Services Division to complete all prisoner transports.  Prisoner transports include going to and from court, hospitals, and the various prisons throughout Ohio.  It is also our responsibility to assist other agencies in completing prisoner transports that they cannot due themselves.  Examples of this pertain to the Lake County Narcortic’s Agency and the Lake County Juvenile Detentions Facility.  The L.C.S.O. also assists the U.S. Marshall’s Office in transporting prisoners they have housed at the Lake County Jail to the Federal Court Houses in Cleveland and Akron.  It should be noted that the U.S. Marshall’s Office reimburses the Lake County Sheriff’s Office for all of their prisoner transports.      

2007 Statistics: 

Respectfully submitted,  

Lt. Jeffrey A. Sherwood

2006 Annual Report