By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Jail ministry and the men’s Jail Chemical Addiction Program (JCAP) are to start up again in Kosciusko County.

Kosciusko County Sheriff Kyle Dukes gave the update at the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Merit Board meeting Wednesday, Feb. 10.

Those programs, shut down due to rising cases of COVID-19, are to begin March 1.

Dukes said only men’s JCAP would start up again to leave some space at the Kosciusko County Jail for quarantining inmates if the need would come up. He said as of the meeting no sheriff’s office employees or inmates were currently positive for COVID-19.

There was no mention of when the women’s program would restart.

In response to a question, Dukes said jail visitations are still suspended.

Wabash County shooting

Dukes also referenced the officer-involved shooting in Wabash County in which the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) was involved.

It happened on Thursday, Jan. 28, at 63 E. Main St., Apartment 3, Wabash.

According to an Indiana State Police press release, “Two people inside the home appeared to have suffered gunshot wounds. Roger D. Hipskind, 37, was pronounced deceased at the scene. A 35-year-old woman was taken to a Fort Wayne hospital. It has yet to be determined if Hipskind died from an officer’s bullet or from a self-inflicted gunshot.”

“The Indiana State Police out of the Peru Post is in charge of that investigation. It’s not completed yet,” said Dukes.

Jail, work release

Dukes said the current number of inmates was at 260 and the number of those in work release was at 84.

“We’re getting numerous calls from HR companies in Kosciusko County inquiring about, ‘Hey, I need two spots, I need three spots, do you have anybody to fill those spots?'” said Dukes. “Developing those relationships and being open and honest with the employers, saying ‘Hey, the person’s incarcerated for this offense. This is his behavior, good or bad,’ and so that is going extremely well.”

“Looking to get those numbers up a little bit out of work release. I’d like to sit somewhere between 95 and 100 people out there,” Dukes said. “And I think what you’re going to see in the near future for work release is we’re going to have one application process for community corrections, work release. Instead of having two different ones, there’s going to be one. And it’d be nice to spend, if it’s a six-month sentence, three months at work release and the final three months with community corrections.”

“And you know something else that we’re doing or going to do is before they’re allowed to leave work release, all their fines and court costs are going to be paid,” added Dukes.

Dukes also said there are upward of 50 people in community corrections currently.

In other business, the board:

• Heard that Monday, Feb. 15, is the deadline for the sheriff’s office to accept applications for three officer positions.

Dukes said the office has taken 23 applications so far. The office is also taking applications for a jail confinement officer position.

• Heard from Dukes that employees who have opted to get the COVID-19 vaccine are in their second round of shots.