ASHLAND — The Ashland County Sheriff’s Office handled more calls and cases in 2023 than in 2022.
The office responded to 15,850 calls for general service in 2023, compared to 14,221 in 2022 — an 11.4% increase, according to numbers provided by Chief Deputy Dave Blake.
Cases from the detective bureau were also up, he said.
“But we have a full staff of detectives now, so it makes sense there were more cases and investigations. That should make a difference,” Blake said.
In 2022, detectives handled 723 cases, compared to 800 in 2023. Those cases involved sex offenses, assaults, burglaries, felonies, homicides, shootings and suicides — among others.
Blake said the most noteworthy data point included 11 suicides the sheriff’s office investigated or responded to over 2023. There were only five in 2022.
“It’s a concern to us,” Blake said. “It seemed like every other weekend we were having suicides there.
“It was because of domestic violence or there were mental-health issues.”
Records show the sheriff’s office responded to seven suicide calls between October and December.
He said his office has reached out to Appleseed Community Mental Health Center and the Ashland County Mental Health and Recovery Board to “discuss what we need to do to help people.
“It was definitely unusual (in 2023),” Blake said, referring to the number of suicides.
David Ross, executive director of the Ashland County Mental Health and Recovery Board, said the sheriff’s office approached him about the suicides.
That’s why the agencies decided to organize two separate training sessions for county law enforcement, he said.
The back-to-back sessions in late February will be led by Steve Click, director of the Ohio Office of First Responder Wellness.
Inmate data
The Ashland County Jail typically houses around 2,000 people every year, Blake said.
“But that has changed since COVID,” he said.
Ashland County Jail and sheriff’s office, as pictured April 2022.
In 2023, there were 1,489 inmates at the jail. Of those, 1,050 were men, versus 407 women and 32 were “not specified.”
In 2022, the jail housed 1,521 inmates. Of those, 1,071 were men and 407 were women. Another 43 were unspecified.
Concealed carry licenses
These numbers decreased, likely because of Ohio’s conceal-carry law passed in 2022 that allows Ohioans to conceal a weapon in public without a license.
Still, in 2023 there were 1,005 licenses that were either newly issued or renewed. Of that number, only 113 were new licenses.
There were 28 licenses suspended or revoked in 2023 and three applications were denied, according to sheriff records.
In 2022 the office renewed 862 licenses and issued 463 new licenses. The office suspended or revoked 23 and denied 20 applications.
Those numbers are in stark contrast to 2021, when the office granted 3,524 new licenses and 2,691 renewals.
Staff levels
Blake said he is not aware of retirements coming up in 2024, and feels confident in staffing levels for this year.
Current enforcement numbers are at a full 38, which includes school resource officers, detectives, uniformed patrolman, the sheriff and Blake.
In corrections, there are 38 employees, four full-time nurses and a food service staff, Blake said. He said there is one opening in corrections.
There are two openings in dispatch, even after filling four positions in 2023. Two of those hires, Blake said, left after learning they weren’t a fit.