Sheriff reports heavy summer workload: jail population, staffing gaps and increased search-and-rescue missions

The Fremont County sheriff updated commissioners Aug. 19 on jail population, staffing and emergency response activity, reporting heavy call volumes and a rise in search-and-rescue missions.

The briefing matters because detention numbers, staffing and volunteer search-and-rescue capacity affect public safety and county operations during an active summer season.

Sheriff Jared said the county detention center population “remains at a 163” (he also referenced 165 in custody during the same report) with a breakdown of 109 men, 49 women and five juveniles. He said 654 people were booked into the county jail over the previous 38 days, and provided a multi-agency breakdown of recent bookings, naming Riverton Police Department, his own agency, Lander Police Department and the Wyoming Highway Patrol among others.

Jared reported staffing shortages of one deputy sheriff and one dispatch position; he said the dispatch director, Director Freeman, planned to retire effective Sept. 1 after roughly 35 years of combined service. He said the county was actively recruiting for a corrections cook and a civilian controller and hoped to fill some vacancies before the director’s retirement.

On calls for service, Jared said dispatch took “just over 1609 1 1 calls for the month of July” and that 2,450 emergency dispatches occurred during the period, including law enforcement, ambulance and fire responses. He said the county’s patrol divisions were providing extra patrols in unincorporated areas with increased criminal activity, including the Gardens North Area Subdivision, and that investigators remained busy, with four investigators countywide.

The sheriff said search-and-rescue had handled 10 missions so far in the fiscal year versus six in the same period last year, and reported three fatalities during that period, including a recent drowning at Boysen Reservoir. He praised volunteers and emphasized the county’s reliance on volunteer firefighters, rescue volunteers and first responders.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions; no formal budget actions or policy changes were taken during the meeting. The sheriff said he remained in contact with county emergency management on the Bridger Creek fire and that law enforcement and volunteer resources were coordinating with incident command.