The Investigation Division, led by Sergeant Becker-Schutte, is assigned to actively investigate any reports A caller, identified as former Cass County Sheriff's Office employee Cole Thompson, asked Jahner who "Coach Dirk" is, and asked why the investigation did not look into the identity of Dirk. The Investigations Division works closely with other County Departments, including Heath, Human and Veteran Services, by meeting daily to review intake reports to determine whether criminal charges should be pursued. Longlet said he helped Jahner with his campaign in 2018. The Division also handles a large number of burglaries and financial related crimes in 2021, including frauds. UPDATE: Cass County Sheriff candidate declines being behind leak of internal investigation documents, UPDATE: Interstates closed in North Dakota, NDDOT reopens interstates and major highways. This is done by numerous investigative techniques, The Cass County Sheriff's Office consists of several divisions, which generally provide service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Days later, Longlet contacted The Forum and identified himself as Code4 Media. How to File a Complaint To file a complaint please complete the form below: Personnel Complaint Form (Internal & External) Trending down from 2021, we processed 41,589 calls to 911 from cellular phones in 2022 and 1,965 calls from landlines. Deputies with the Cass County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a home . If there's stuff going on internally, we have to hold ourselves accountable," Lueck said. April Baumgarten joined The Forum in February 2019 as an investigative reporter. I would like know this information as well as you but I can tell you that it is not me. The lieutenant also acknowledged using his department phone to send other nude photos to his wife, the documents said. after the election. ", Longlet claims the sheriffs office violated state law by forcing him, through the internal investigation, to reveal that he sent the Code4 email. covers all of Michiana including St. Joseph, Elkhart, Kosciusko, LaPorte and Marshall counties in Indiana and Berrien, Cass, Van Buren and St. Joseph counties in Mich. Submit a . The Cass County Sheriff's Department provides 24-hour, seven day a week professional law enforcement service to the 384 square miles of Cass County. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. department-issued phone to send a nude photo. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. 2852 Thunder Road South The leak came roughly a month before Jahner faced a challenger from his own office in the general election. Computer Voice Stress Analysis (CVSA), clandestine laboratory investigations, street level narcotics "I had a Lieutenant that did some things obviously - or did a thing that was very unprofessional, "said Jahner, "Ray did not deny he used his phone, he admitted to it, he admitted to using it at different times. FARGO For the first time, the Cass County sheriff's deputy who received a nude photo from one of his bosses is talking publicly about the incident. "Tommy Ray has expressed those concerns to me," Jahner said. and "Is this coach dirk?" That's how 15-year-old Cass Henry and his . The volunteer position can conduct patrols, serve as security and make arrests under the supervision of deputies. Jeremy Cass Akins in Idaho Ada County arrested for DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE (SECOND OFFENSE), DRIVING WITHOUT PRIVILEGES. Elected in 2023, Cass County's Sheriff is Bryan Welk. Cass County deputy who received nude photo from lieutenant wants new investigation Deputy Joshua Lueck says a new investigation will put a lot of trust back into the Cass County. He also said leadership needs to take responsibility for how the investigation was handled. The Investigations Division is also active in investigating ongoing cases, such as missing persons investigations and other cases that have gone cold. Even with Minn. DFL in control, bills to further restrict copper-nickel mining unlikely to pass this session, Bourke's Bookshelf: Why do we romanticize the dead?, How to respond when non-agriculturalists say goofy things. Meanwhile, authorities say a 35-year-old Hackensack man was the leader of several of the cases, and say he used people to move meth from the Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area to northern Minnesota so it could be sold. Four fatal off-highway vehicle crashes were investigated in Cass County in 2022, three of which resulted from speed and alcohol, and at least three where riders were operating alone. We are currently working with our regional and tribal partners to develop and implement strategies to respond to this epidemic. Contributed / Cass County Sheriff's Office. She double majored in communications and history/political science at the University of Jamestown, N.D. We see that you have javascript disabled. Tips can be sent through the tip line at 1-800-222-8477, or by CLICKING HERE. The Narcotics Division When it comes to a 6 page document that I pulled on March 31st, came from a conversation that Sheriff and I had about this. /or any information regarding an ongoing criminal investigation may contact the Investigation Division Law enforcement conducted an inventory search of the vehicle, locating drug paraphernalia and multiple clothing items believed to be stolen property. The Investigation Division will prepare any criminal case assigned to them by Sheriff Jahner says the investigation's purpose was not to identify Dirk, but rather was to see if the message was intentionally sent to the unnamed deputy. We see that you have javascript disabled. Utilizing our Automatic Vehicle Locator, the concept of drawn patrol lines in response areas disappear and the closest squad, including deputies, supervisors and investigators is sent to the call for service. "It can put a lot of trust back into our office," Lueck said. Jahner said he handled the investigation into Ray properly, adding that he felt he was transparent in sharing documents with news outlets when requested. (Cass County, ND) -- A high ranking county official is working to dispel concerns and rumors after an investigation into a nude photo sent by a Lieutenantof the county sheriff's department was brought to light. So Im not quite sure why Im currently being punished more than the person who sent a dick pic.. Lueck agrees it was likely a mistake, however, he thinks the lieutenant was not entirely truthful based on some followup text messages that asked if this was "coach dirk" despite saying he meant to text his wife. Cass County Financial Data Portal - OpenGov, Cass County Planning Commission Meeting Documents, Cass County Comprehensive and Transportation Plan. Sheriff's office removes 30 dogs left in the freezing cold at a Cass County property He also said they are now undergoing treatment for heartworm and other intestinal parasites, with several. Also speaking up is the man behind Code4Media who leaked that nude photo. investigations, neighborhood watch programs, as well as a member of the Kansas City Metropolitan Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. The Division is often assisted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in these types of investigations. Current starting salary is $38,516.12 with longevity and merit raises annually, if approved. The Cass County Sheriff Office provides incident and accident reports of events that occurred in Cass County. The OPS investigation findings will then be documented in a thorough report. shortly after the deputy's response, later sending "That pic for you Opps sorry that was not suposed to goto you ." So far, the . Before taking office as County Sheriff on January 1, 2017, Sheriff Behnke served as the Undersheriff from 2003 through 2016.Sheriff Behnke graduated from Dowagiac Union High School in 1982. . bryan.welk@casscountymn.gov Jahner confirmed to The Forum that Longlet is on administrative leave. The rise in traffic on our trails, roadways and public property has created a variety of new issues and need for additional education and enforcement. Sheriff Behnke is a life-long resident of Cass County and currently lives with Lorri, his wife of 27 years, in Silver Creek Township near Dowagiac. (WISH) A missing Tippecanoe man died Sunday after a two-car crash in northeast Cass County, the Cass County Sherriff's Office announced Monday. The attorney said the use of a department-issued phone made Ray's photo a public record and that Longlet's actions are protected under the First Amendment. "This could be criminal coercion against the sheriff for threatening these things against his members," Longlet said. In 2022, we responded to and investigated 86 crashes with injuries and 202 without injuries. "We cannot as an organization continue to have someone committing policy violations and not investigate the activity for fear of others who may follow suit or indicate in the future that policy investigations are not done in a timely consistent manner. Jahner said the department often doesnt fire people for policy violations, especially on their first offense like in Rays case. We responded to 113 medical related overdose calls, with four resulting in death. Some speculated King worked with Longlet to leak the documents, but King said he didnt know who Code4 was until after the volunteer deputy was put on leave. Two Investigators have been assigned to Narcotics Investigations, which has been very beneficial to the enforcement and investigation into the use and sales of narcotics, illegal substances and associated crimes. Cass County-led drug investigation leads to several arrests and narcotics seizures Minnesota News April 21, 2022 Thirteen people have drug charges pending in multiple counties and more than 3 pounds of methamphetamine was seized in a statewide drug investigation. Ray told investigators the nude photo was meant for his wife, and the sheriffs office determined Ray sent the photo to the deputy by accident in September 2021, according to internal investigative documents. The sheriff. I believe that I was put on admin leave to make me shut up," Longlet told The Forum. On 02/20/2023, at approximately 1345 Hours, I made contact with ELLIOTT,JESSE DEAN W/M at the Cass County Sheriff's Office on a Cass County warrant. However, the reserve deputy said he isn't pushing for King to win the election. Lueck says King was not behind the leak. Joel Stading, who conducts internal investigations for the agency. Fiery post from former Cass sheriff stirs questions as he plans to rejoin department, Cass County sheriff candidate was ousted as drone team leader, disciplined for unfulfilled duties, Cass County deputy who received nude photo from lieutenant wants new investigation, Cass County, VA working to get incarcerated veterans the benefits they deserve, 14-year-old driver killed in train collision in northwestern North Dakota, Tax breaks for biofuels, grain bin construction among ag bills passed in North Dakota, Amid a night of costumed Halloween revelry, a man found beaten to death. There were no racial profiling complaints made against deputies during the year, Sheriff Scott Cass told Commissioners' Court at a Monday morning meeting at the Lamar County Courthouse. department-issued phone to send a nude photo. Cass County Sheriff's Office City/County Law Enforcement Center 336 Main St. Plattsmouth, NE 68048 402-296-9370 Application Instructions: READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING These instructions are provided as a guide to assist you in properly completing your personal History Statement. Investigators and deputies completed dozens of search warrant applications and executions, resulting in several pounds of a variety of illegal drugs and substances seized, along with cash and firearms. Administration; Civil Process; Community Policing ; Corrections; Court Security; Investigations; K-9; Road Patrol; Support Services; Resources & Services . According to Maj. Kevin Tieman with the Cass County Sheriff's Office, Trevor Sparks, 33, of Kansas City, and Sergio Perez-Martinez, 43, from California, escaped the jail at about 10 p.m.. Any person wishing to help and provide information regarding a criminal offense and Two investigators have been assigned to Narcotics Investigations, which has been very beneficial to the enforcement and investigation into the use and sales of narcotics, illegal substances and associated crimes. The Cass County Sheriff's Office Investigations Division is comprised of five full-time Investigators, three of which are assigned to general investigations and two assigned specifically to drug investigations. Longlet said the Cass County Sheriffs Office investigated him for his role with Code4 Media, the entity listed in the anonymous email as its sender. online form by clicking HERE. We continue to receive and process a large number of gun permit to purchase and permit to carry applications. any suspect(s) involved with the investigation. The reserve deputy said Sheriff Jesse Jahner put him on administrative leave starting Oct. 14. The San Luis Obispo County . Most of our volunteer programs, outreach and partnerships were scaled back or on pause in 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic with the intent to help keep our partners safe. We received 95% of our 911 calls from cellular phones. The Paris News. That did not feel like something I should do. "I need to stop running from this situation," Lueck said. CLOSING DATE: Open Until Filled. Cass County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Cass County Sheriffs Office Investigations Division is comprised of five full-time Investigators, three of which are assigned to general investigations and two assigned specifically to drug investigations. CASS COUNTY, Mich. The Cass County Sheriff has found a deceased body in a southwest Michigan field on Thursday. Published: Nov. 2, 2021 at 11:33 AM PDT. Further charges may be possible at the conclusion of the investigation. specific areas of expertise such as interview and interrogation, computer crimes, sex crimes, So far, the sheriffs office says the investigation has resulted in: Formal charges are pending for those arrested, and the investigation is spread across multiple counties. Qualifications: by any evidence located at a crime scene or through the use of interviews of victims, witness and Cass County. If anyone has any information that would assist in this investigation, the Cass County Sheriff's Office is asking you to contact them at (701) 241-5800 . Jahner also said in the letter that Longlet talked more about the investigation into Ray during a predetermination hearing that the sheriff said was meant to discuss why Longlet felt he should keep his position as a volunteer deputy. The Investigations Division assists Patrol Deputies in providing additional resources and follow-up, including interview and interrogation, processing evidence, transporting evidence to the crime lab, etc. 2852 Thunder Road South Jahner previously said Longlet's actions disrupted the sheriff's office and negatively impacted morale. 5168 views Update posted March 1, 2023: Couple, dog killed in San Luis Obispo by speeding driver in November - On Monday, the San Luis Obispo . Nobody was taking me seriously," Lueck explained. He focuses on crimes and courts and investigative stories. Deputies. Claussen was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held pending her later release on her own recognizance. Ray received a written reprimanddue to a county electronic device policy violation, and did not break any state or federal laws. (Cass County, ND) -- A high ranking county official is working to dispel concerns and rumors after an investigation into a nude photo sent by a Lieutenantof the county sheriff's department was brought to light. We see that you have javascript disabled. "I just felt like I was alone in the whole process. citizens of Cass County to effectively resolve any drug related issue. Jahner put Longlet on administrative leave Oct. 14 to investigate whether the volunteer deputy discredited the sheriff's office with unacceptable conduct and disobeyed the sheriffs directive by sending the documents to media outlets, according to a letter informing Longlet of the investigation into his actions. The lieutenant was given a letter of reprimand for improper use of a county phone. KSTP-TV, LLC He also claims internal investigators seemed more eager to work with the lieutenant than him. According to the Cass County Sheriffs Office, multiple traffic stops and search warrants targeting the seizure of methamphetamine have been conducted throughout the past year. "That's why I sent the email to the agency and the situation is done," Jahner said. The case will then be forwarded to the Cass County He can be reached at mhenson@wday.com and at 610-639-9215. Feb 16, 2023 Cass County Sheriff Arrests On Feb. 10, deputies from the Cass County Sheriff's Office arrested Jennifer Claussen, 40, of Atlantic, for OWI second offense. FARGO The Cass County Sheriffs Office has parted ways with a The evening started with appetizers and time to socialize before dinner was served. If you have specific questions that you would like answered in this column or in person, please feel free to contact me anytime using one of the following methods: By email at The Cass County Sheriff's Office provides each SRD with a fully equipped squad car, uniforms, equipment, BLOG; CATEGORIES. Sheriff Jahner provided a written statement: "As an organization, we need to move forward with this investigative process. The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office said it referred information to the 18th Judicial . Longlet said he was ready to reveal his identity after Jahner put him on administrative leave. A caller, identified as former Cass County Sheriff's Office employee Cole Thompson, asked Jahner who "Coach Dirk" is, and asked why the investigation did not look into the identity of Dirk. ", Lueck hopes by speaking up publicly it will push the sheriff to review the situation he feels was "swept under the rug.". "Someone needed to speak up to start the change that needs to happen within this organization," Longlet said. The burglary is still under investigation by the Starke County Sheriff's Office as well as the Cass County Sheriff's Office. Authorities say an ongoing statewide investigation into sales and use of controlled substances has resulted in more than a dozen arrests so far, as well as the confiscation of currency and methamphetamine. Utah County Attorney David Leavitt called for the resignation of Sheriff Mike Smith over the investigation, saying that Smith was irresponsibly revisiting allegations against Leavitt and his wife. "We are continuing to investigate this case and identifying others who have been subject to the same treatment in preparation for a lawsuit against the Cass County Sheriff's Department because no one should ever lose their jobs for holding those in positions of power accountable, particularly in a law enforcement organization," Redmann said. And finally, we cannot delay these investigations solely on the fact that it is an election year.". Jahner denied using an internal investigation to silence Longlet. Crash investigators say Samuel Gillis, 23, and his brother, Joseph Gillis, 22, were driving eastbound on Redfield. Along with the photo, the email shared public records that detailed the investigation into how Lt. Tommy Ray sent a nude photo of himself to a male deputy, apparently by accident. Documents state the deputy told officials there had never been other inappropriate instances or red flags in their time working with Lt. Ray over the course of five years, and officials say since the incident, Lt. Ray and the deputy have continued to work together without conflict or further issues. Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office officials said the 47-year-old Flowerfield Township resident was arrested after he was involved in a two-vehicle crash shortly before 2:30 a.m. Sunday on U.S. 131 . CASS COUNTY, MI - A man was airlifted to a hospital after a crash Tuesday morning. Longlet also told The Forum he sent publicly available documents to news outlets on Oct. 3 detailing an investigation into Lt. Tommy Ray.