Despite the challenges that 2021 presented to most of us, Warren County Sheriff Mark Butler says his staff did a commendable job of serving area citizens. The WCSO annual report, recently completed by Butler, indicates that strides were made in several areas.
Covid-19, Butler said, was a stressor on everyone, and presented some challenges, but he feels his staff rose to that challenge. The WCSO partnered with the Warren County Health Department to provide Covid-19 vaccinations to the homebound. “Operation Telephone” was implemented in 2021, which allowed deputies to regularly check in with the elderly. The department also reached out to those in need, distributing food drive donations.
2021 saw the 43 body cameras purchased in late 2020 used by deputies; additionally, three high-resolution in-car cameras were installed. The sheriff said the office now has the capability to synch cameras with several deputies, providing greater coverage during emergency responses or critical incidents
Statistics indicate that the WCSO saw an uptick in DUI arrests, and a spike in drug-related offenses. In 2021, the WCSO seized over $85,000 from illegal narcotics operations. Over three kilograms of cocaine was seized in a joint operation with federal authorities and the department intercepted a package containing counterfeit 1000 Fentanyl pills.
Sheriff Butler says his team worked with the social media site Nextdoor to increase citizen participation by about 31-percent over 2020. Warren County now has a neighborhood watch program established in 59 out of 61 neighborhoods, with about 5,760 citizens participating.
Butler said in a telephone interview Wednesday that his department strived to stay within its budget, and he appreciates the collaborative relationship with the Warren County Board of Supervisors. By carefully managing the WCSO budget, Butler was able to work five new deputies into the next fiscal year with just a $75, 000 increase over the current budget.
The WCSO, which had previously been accredited through the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission (VLEPSC) lost its accreditation in 2019. Butler vowed upon taking office in 2020 that his administration would work to gain accreditation. He began the process in 2020 and hopes to complete the process by September of this year.
Reflecting on 2021, Sheriff Butler said he has run his office according to his campaign promises, which included enforcing the law, protecting each citizen and his/her constitutional rights, performing community policing, and working to remove drugs from the community. He said of his staff, “I am proud of these guys. They made great strides, despite the challenges of Covid-19.”
Butler was elected in November 2019 and began his four-year term in January 2020.
The Warren County Sheriff’s Department 2021 Annual Report can be read here.
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