Sheriff marks 6 months in role

Chad Spence said his first six months as St. Joseph County sheriff have involved a considerable amount of housework.

Spence hit the milestone last week, half a year after he stepped into the role of St. Joseph County’s highest elected law-enforcement position. Spence, who turns 52 next month, said there was no time to enjoy the proverbial “honeymoon period.”

Spence has been focusing on key points he and his team touted during a lengthy campaign that started in the spring of 2023 and culminated in the August 2024 primary as the top vote-getter in a five-man race.

He said focusing attention on appropriate mental-health care for inmates, hiring and training an additional employee to handle FOIA requests, and maintaining professional education for staff members have been at the forefront of his attention since January.

Spence said in addition, the department has established in-house training programs: field training for law-enforcement services and another centering on corrections training. They are each 16-week sessions and attended by new hires.

Spence had previously spent more than 25 years with the sheriff’s department, working as a detective before retiring in 2022.

Check Also

Land Conservancy hosting volunteer workday

Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy is hosting a volunteer workday at a nearby location later this …

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *