Dukes Proud Of Changes Made In First Three Years
By Dan Spalding
InkFreeNews
WARSAW – Three years ago, Kyle Dukes set forth a series of changes he would implement if elected as sheriff of Kosciusko County, and now, he’s campaigning on those.
The former Indiana State Police trooper ran as an outsider in 2018 and won 51% of the vote in the Republican primary against three others. As promised, he established a county-wide drug task force and began meeting with area police chiefs.
He’s also significantly reduced the jail population and says the county’s JCAP program has expanded to become the best in the state.
In May, Dukes will face Deputy Jim Smith for the Republican primary.
On Wednesday, Jan. 19, Dukes formally filed paperwork to run for re-election and offered a list of accomplishments in a prepared statement.
In a short interview, Dukes said one of his top priorities was to “bring all law enforcement back together” in a working relationship. Meetings with chiefs are continuing, he said. “We’re working as a team and communicating, and when law enforcement does that, the community wins,” Dukes said.
Dukes also re-established a multi-agency drug task, known as NET 43, that includes officers from Warsaw, Winona Lake, Indiana State Police and Nappanee. The task force has had numerous high-profile raids.
“This team has taken numerous drug dealers off the streets in Kosciusko County and has confiscated pounds of heroin and meth,” he said.
Dukes was asked if it’s disappointing to continue to see daily arrests for meth. He said the sheriff’s office continues to focus on meth and heroin.
The work of NET43, he said, is for the betterment of the county,
His approach on drug arrests is simple: “One life at a time. If we change that cycle and break that cycle – sometimes in incarceration, that’s where it starts,” he said.
He’s also put a new emphasis on training officers and staff. In 2020, the Sheriff’s Office logged over 5,000 training hours. In 2021, the Sheriff’s Office completed more than 7,200 hours of training.
Dukes also upgraded the sheriff’s office presence on social media when he created a full-time public information officer position in the department.
He said he’s been able to reduce the jail population by working with various departments such as Community Corrections, work release, and probation. Three years ago, there were 334 inmates housed in the jail. The legal capacity is 294. Earlier this week, the inmate population was 237.
As a result, he said he sees no need to make plans for a new jail. “As for building a new jail, absolutely not,” he said.
He’s especially pleased with the county’s chemical addiction jail program that continues to grow. The program started under the previous sheriff.
“With our community’s involvement, we currently have the number one Jail Chemical Addiction Program (JCAP) in the state of Indiana,” he said, pointing to a 59% success rate of graduates staying clean and sober upon re-entry into the community.
The program also has support from about 30 businesses and groups in the community.
His campaign has also touted improved mental health services for inmates and staff.
The change happened when the jail switched medical companies that provide mental health services.
“This is the first time the Kosciusko County Jail has had 40 hours of mental health services for the incarcerated inmate.”