JACKSON COUNTY - ( January 5, 2022 - Jackson County Sheriff Rick Meyer announced he intends to seek another term. Sheriff Meyer, a Republican, officially filed for office on January 5, 2022.
“Law enforcement has been my chosen career and I’ve dedicated my life to it. Serving as your sheriff has been a great honor and responsibility,” said Sheriff Meyer. “I would like to continue working to make this department even better.”
Since first taking office in 2019, Sheriff Meyer has made several improvements to the department. He worked with the schools to get School Resource Officers at each location, the first ever at Medora, Crothersville, and Seymour Schools. He also started the first ever K9 program at the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and funded training and equipment through a grant.
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Sheriff Meyer is also proud of adding a full-time drug detective who works in partnership with the FBI and DEA. “Our drug detective has been key in tracking down and eradicating drugs that poison our community. As Sheriff, I will continue to make Jackson County an inhospitable place for drug dealers,” said Meyer.
Search and rescue operations are now facilitated by the addition of a Utility Terrain Vehicle. “Jackson County has many trails and forest areas,” stated Meyer. “Unfortunately, sometimes individuals get lost or hurt in these dense areas and having the UTV, funded through a grant, has helped speed response and search times and the time saved can help save lives.”
Meyer has also supported and implemented a number of programs aimed at inmate success, including Residents Encounter Christ, Celebrate Recovery, a GED program and Corrections to Careers, a partnership with McDowell and the Jackson County Learning Center. As part of Corrections to Careers, inmates can complete training to become a certified production technician, giving them a head start at finding meaningful employment upon release.
“It’s important to me to continue the work I’ve started,” said Sheriff Meyer. “Over the past four years, the department has grown stronger and I would like to continue that trajectory.”
As for the future of the Department, Meyer plans to continue implementing jail modernization. A body scanner, body cameras, and equipment was purchased at no expense to the taxpayers through the use of commissary funding. CARES Act funds were used to install a state of the art security camera system, which increases jail safety.
“We are always looking for ways to improve, protect the public, and serve the community. To that end, our jail administration is working to update our entire department policies and standard operating procedures,” said Meyer. “Serving as your sheriff has been a very rewarding experience. I’ve enjoyed facing the challenges over the past four years and believe the department is well-positioned to meet the needs of the future.”
Meyer started as a Reserve Officer in 2000 under Sheriff Jerry Hounshel. He is a Lifelong member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and resides in Seymour with Jennifer, his wife of 26 years, a teacher for the Seymour Community School System. They have three children, Grace, 19, Eli, 17, and Jordan, 10.