JUSTIN LINDEMANN COLORADO COUNTY SHERIFF
COLUMBUS — The Health and Behavioral Wellness Council held its monthly meeting on Feb. 13, at the Colorado County Courthouse. The Colorado County Sheriff's Office, led by Sher iff Justin Lindemann, presented on Be Aware, Be Alert, Be Safe. Each depart- ment in the sheriff's office talked about what it does and how it impacts citizens of Colorado County.
Lindemann stated the county is working on adding a livestock deputy, a specialized crime unit and a traffic unit. He said the jail has new technology implemented into the facility for the betterment of inmates. Inmates can now access computers to connect with family who can not make it for visitations and corrections officers are now wearing body cameras. Chief Deputy Kevin Daniels gave an overview of Colorado County, and Patrol Lt. Jacob Gorman talked about how the sheriff's office works with all three cities and has jurisdiction over 14 unincorporated communities in the county. In 2024, the sheriff's office re ceived 1,000 documented reported incidents and said the numbers are increasing. One of the new features is deputies will provide a security check on homes when occupants are away. This free service provides a level of crime deterrence.
Lt. Investigator Andrew Weido talked about different types of skimming or ways to defraud citizens by way of email or fuel skimming of information.
Narcotics Sergeant Tyler Pavlicek gave a report on the vigilance the sher- iff's office is taking, especially with In terstate 10 being a major drug and hu- man trafficking corridor. The sheriff's office is part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) drug task force combating illicit substances.
Mental Health Deputy Andrew Lopez, the mental health deputy who handles mental health intervention services to those in crises, spoke about how since the inception of the mental health deputy position, initiated by the Behavioral and Wellness Council, statistics are down year over year. The credit belongs to his dedication to the effort of being on the forefront of mental health crisis interventions. He visits with citizens who deal with mental health challenges regularly and makes about 30-40 wellness checks monthly. He also focuses on juveniles and those in the school system. Roughly 10 percent of people in crisis for 2024 were juveniles. These incidents occurred in all school districts in Colorado County.
Colorado County Crime Stoppers gave an update on its efforts to help law enforcement in closing cases involving anonymous tips.
Tisha Clinkenbeard, co-founder of You Matter Beard and Moustache Competition, presented the wellness council with a $15,000 check it raised at its recent beard and mustache 02-20 competition, held on Jan. 18 at Freyburg Hall near Schulenburg.
