Sheriff’s annual report details efforts in wellness, drug enforcement

Bartholomew County Sheriff Chris Lane is looking back on his first year in office and progress on five areas he set forth as priorities.

In his first annual report as sheriff, Lane said that his five priorities have been:

Relentless Drug Enforcement
Efficiency and Innovation
Partnerships with Other Agencies
Mental and Physical Resiliency
Employee Attraction and Retention.

In the area of drug enforcement, he said felony drug arrests were up 40 percent from 2022, with more than 127 arrests. Lane said that based on conversations with community members that drugs and their affect on the community is deserving of constant focus. And he said that the department will do whatever is necessary to combat illegal drugs coming into the county.

Lane said that the department has established a peer support network to help employees with their mental and physical health. Select deputies have been trained to provide confidential support for those dealing with personal or job related situations. The department has also used drug forfeiture money to install new equipment in the employee gym. And he said that a grant from Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County is providing services through Breathe Halotherapy and Wellness Center, providing up to two free sessions a month to ease stress and promote wellness.

Lane said that he feels like the department is focusing on the correct areas and that he was proud of the department’s teams and its accomplishments.

You can find the entire report here.