BATAVIA, Ohio — Clermont County residents are calling for change less than one week after officials announced a drug bust involving inmates working at the Clermont County Animal Shelter through the jail's trustee program.
Four people are facing criminal charges after the sheriff's office said they plotted to smuggle drugs through the shelter while on work assignment.
“The commissioners are putting the employees and the volunteers in danger,” resident Jody Miller told WCPO. “What if they decide to steal money from the shelter? They tried … well they did try to smuggle drugs.”
RELATED | 4 indicted, accused of planning to smuggle drugs into Clermont County Animal Shelter for inmates
Officials we spoke to told us they have confidence in the sheriff and will continue the work program, but some residents say enough is enough. They told us Wednesday that officials should outright stop or rethink how the jail’s trustee program is administered.
“They didn’t have to do a background check,” resident Tracey McCullough said. “It’s all there in Clermont County Clerk of Courts, so I was surprised they let someone come in there with a theft charge.”
The trustee program allows low-level offenders to service different cleaning or work details. According to county officials, there are just over 40 inmates in the program.
“We’ve seen them on janitorial staff, lawn, landscaping, not a lot but we’ve seen them occasionally,” the county maintenance representative said to the commission Wednesday morning.
Commissioner David Painter maintains this type of program and the potential busts they can lead to are good for the county’s safety.
“This is the business that they operate in,” Painter said. “They know exactly how to rune these particular issues to the ground and make sure not only our animal shelter is safe, but that Clermont County is a safe place to live, work and raise a family.”
WCPO reached out to the sheriff's office to learn more and to see if they will be changing how they administer this program. We haven't heard back yet.
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