The Editor interviewed Whiteside County Sheriff Kelly Wilhelmi, on Monday, February 12, 2018. The purposes were to
- obtain budget figures for facilities and programs and accompanying wages
- learn about administrative duties in the Sheriff’s Office
- address comments by candidates during a question-and-answer event, hosted by The American Legion Post of Rock Falls, IL, on Saturday, February 10.
Sheriff Wilhelmi meets the definition of a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), as the highest-ranking executive in a company (i.e., Law Enforcement department.) Primary responsibilities include making major decisions; managing the overall operations and resources; acting as the main point of communication between the (Whiteside County) Board and operations. He cited two, upcoming administrative “retirees after the November General Election”–Sheriff and Chief Deputy. “There are 15 Correctional Officers; 13 Patrol Deputies, including four Sergeants who supervise shifts; eight Telecommunicators in Morrison [at the 9-1-1 Center] and 15 in Sterling, IL; four Detectives; about a dozen Court Security employees; additional Maintenance, Custodial, and Kitchen employees.”
The Sheriff’s duties include “overseeing the Chief Deputy and two Lieutenants on a daily basis; managing facility and building maintenance and upkeep of eight buildings [including two Courthouses]; preparing a statistical report for the monthly County Board meeting, noting numbers of papers served, foreclosures, revenue from Civil Process.”
“I prepare and maintain a budget, and I pay or stamp every bill.”
A. For our interview, the Sheriff had prepared a budget sheet, listing categories of Sheriff’s Office expenses and wages for 95 persons, including himself. Wages account for 86% of the total $4,980,216 budget.
Programs/Services–$4,980,216
- Law Enforcement services including the 9-1-1 center–$2,446,450
- Corrections–$1,378,231
- Buildings and Grounds–$712,070 (includes water, gas, and electricity for eight buildings)
- ESDA–$73,856 (Emergency Service Disaster Agency, includes County Civil Defense agencies in Illinois)
- Merit Commission–$5400 (State law mandates Sheriff’s Offices have a Merit Commission to facilitate hiring and discipline.)
- Twin/Com–$714,209 (Twin City Communication facilitates 9-1-1 Dispatch Centers in Sterling, and Morrison, IL.)
Wages for those who implement programs/services–$4,347,659
- Law Enforcement–$2,171,975
- Corrections–$1,102,551
- Buildings and Grounds–$208,102
- ESDA–$161,772
- Twin/Com–$703,259.
Wilhelmi added, “There has been a budget increase [in wages] for Fiscal 2018, because we have 15 more Dispatchers as employees, since the 9-1-1 consolidation in Sterling. Out of the $714,209 of thisTwinCom budget, Sterling pays 40%, Rock Falls pays 30%, and the remaining 30% is paid by the Whiteside County Special Services Area. This is not costing the taxpayers any more than it did in the past.”
When he became Sheriff in November 2008, there were 14 Patrol Deputies; the number dropped to 12 in 2010, due to retirements. He hired a 13th in 2014; that number remains the same. He has requested new hires since then. “We’ve been able to work closely together and as a team. The County Board has always listened. The projected budget for all departments of Whiteside County for FY2018 is $14,378,000. The FY2018 projected revenues are $13,672,000, which leaves us with a projected deficit of $706,000. That is in all the County Offices: Health Department, Court Houses, Assessor’s Office, for example. Most office’s budget costs are for wages. Every one of the elected positions work with their employees; there’s no extra money.”
Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office revenue comes from Property Taxes (1/3); Sales and Motor Fuel Taxes (1/3); fines and fees collected by the Courts (1/3.) “Based on the economic position of the State of Illinois, the reality of being able to hire extra Law Enforcement personnel for Patrol is not feasible. Whiteside County is fiscally responsible with this money. Revenues have exceeded projections over the years….”
The Sheriff’s Office budget had a positive balance of about $110,000 last year. It is wise to have funds available for emergencies “such as equipment failures, air conditioner or roof repairs, or unexpected prisoner expenses,” he said.
Clearly, Patrol is a critical component in the function of the Sheriff’s Office. “We answer 11-to-12,000 Patrol logs for service per year, ranging from traffic stops to murder. We have three Deputies on a shift, that includes the Sergeant; we may have only two during the daylight hours or due to Deputies being on vacation. There are more instances [of calls for service] in the second half of the day, from afternoon through the early morning.” Whiteside County encompasses “690 square miles. That is 230 miles for each Deputy to cover. We try to promote good relations with the public.”
“The County’s financial situation is at a level that will not allow us to [hire] a new Deputy.” He cited costs of “$70-75,000 in the first year” for a new Deputy, with “starting salary at $40,000. If it were financially feasible to have six Deputies per shift, instead of the three we have, it already would have been done.”
Even so, the Merit Commission has been accepting applicants for the Patrol Deputy Eligibility List. The deadline has been extended to Monday, March 5, 2018, at 4:00 p.m.
B. Sheriff Wilhelmi stated, “Being elected as a leader, in itself, does not make you an effective one. You have to be able to get your people to ‘buy into what you’re selling’ and to follow you. Lead by example. A good leader encourages, motivates, delegates, and empowers” others. “Communication and collaboration with [my] administrative staff is crucial. I believe in empowerment, [putting people] in a position to make decisions, based on their ability.”
The administrative staff includes the Sheriff and three other men: Chief Deputy Andy Henson; Lieutenant of Field Services John Booker; Lieutenant of Corrections Tim Erickson.
“Every one of them impresses me every day,” he noted. “Those guys spend more than 40 hours a week, and sometimes 60 hours a week, [on the job.] There’s no way we could cut any of them. Andy Henson is retiring. At any given moment we are not fully staffed. [Still,] the relationships in the Sheriff’s Office are the best it’s ever been. I am probably the luckiest Sheriff in Illinois, because of the quality relationship with the County Board and County Administrator Joel Horn.”
Erickson and Henson manage three State-mandated duties of the Sheriff’s Office. First is to maintain a County Jail, which includes “the care and custody of inmates, providing them with food, clothing, medication, etc.” The $1,378,231 budget pays for Lieutenant Tim Erickson, “who oversees the day-to-day operations of the Jail” and includes wages for “15 Correctional Officers, the kitchen, and partial payment for nursing. A nurse works 35 hours a week,” over five days. This position is filled by “an outside, independent, medical company,” stated the Sheriff.
“The number of inmates fluctuates,” he said, “but averages in the 80’s.” Increased incarcerations, currently at 110, impact the budget as well as Jail personnel. Inmate numbers have reached 120 in the past, stated Lieutenant Erickson. Wilhelmi noted, “It costs approximately $40 a day to house an inmate. [They] are charged a $10 booking fee and pay $20 a day to serve Work Releases or when serving sentences on weekends.”
The second requirement is to serve Civil Process, by delivering various papers ordered by the Court. One staff member occupies the office. “We serve between 3000 and 4000 papers a year. Most are served in person by Officers.”
The third requirement is to serve two County Courthouses. “Our Office provides Courthouse front-door security and Bailiffs for the courtrooms.” Additionally, some hearings/trials require security personnel. “There are about a dozen employees who work a minimum of six hours per day, part-time.”
Chief Deputy Andy Henson meets the definition of a Chief Operating/Operations officer (COO), who is second-in-command in an organization. Primary responsibilities include reporting to the CEO (Sheriff); steering efficiency of the business (Sheriff’s Office.) He “is in charge of Civil Process, Court Security, Payroll, and Patrol Deputies.” He answers “calls and investigates crimes. I teach one D.A.R.E. class a year, because that’s my favorite thing to do. I have been teaching for 24+ years.”
Thousands of documents issued by Judges are posted, delivered, or mailed to Whiteside County citizens, informing them of impending action against them. Documents include Orders of Protection and Civil No Stalking; Subpoenas; Summonses. Court Notices are posted or delivered to citizens announcing from the Court that Eviction, Foreclosure, Jury Duty absenteeism, a pending Law Suit, or Divorce or Custody Proceedings have been filed–among others orders. Chief Deputy Henson must assign those deliveries.
There are “about a dozen full and part-time Bailiffs plus Court security Officers” who he schedules to staff both Courthouses. “I oversee the Auxiliary Mounted Patrol. These people do search and rescue missions; secure crime scenes; do details all the time; work the Fair. They stand by after the Sheriff’s Office secures a crime scene, so no one goes into a building.” Henson reported the Auxiliary Mounted Police worked the Nicholas Sheley case in Sterling and the recent shooting death in Morrison.
He prepares payroll for 95 employees. “It can be a task, especially with overtime.”
There is no State mandate to offer Patrol service within Whiteside County, however, a large part of Henson’s work is with Patrol. He sets schedules for two shifts a day. “We drive 400,000 to 500,000 miles a year,” Henson said. Deputies record fill-ups and mileage; Henson reviews the data. He makes “sure they have their booklets of tickets and ammunition and that proper paper work is in their box, before going on Patrol. Illinois State Police Officers handle any [Deputy] wrecks [or accidents.]” Patrol Sergeants are informed of those uncommon events; the Chief Deputy oversees “the reports and turns them into the County for repairs,” if needed.
He plans to retire after the November General Election. Chief Deputy Henson noted, “It’s been a great job!”
“Lieutenant John Booker oversees Field Services: Dispatch; Civil Process; Supervision of Detectives; the SWAT team,” stated Wilhelmi. Booker said, “I schedule the Morrison 9-1-1 Center staff, make sure they have [taken] trainings, and keep records of recertification, to make sure they are up-to-date.” Candidates “apply to the Merit Commission,” but Booker sits “in on the oral interviews. The [recommended] list goes to the Sheriff; he and [I] and Director of Dispatch Claudia Garcia” select those to employ. The Chief Deputy assigns delivery of Civil Process documents, and Lieutenant Booker delivers them.
He supervises four Detectives. “I assign them to cases, and we go over them together at weekly meetings, to keep all informed about the Detective Section.”
Booker is “Commander of the SWAT team,” he said, a Law Enforcement unit which uses specialized or military equipment and tactics. When requested, he will “contact the team and run operations” on scene. Another duty is to “conduct monthly Sheriff’s Sales of foreclosed houses. Money raised goes to Civil Process.”
C. Wilhelmi was asked to respond to some questions asked of Candidates on February 10.
4. What are some of the biggest challenges facing the Department today? “Illinois Legislators have passed laws that make it harder to prosecute.”
5. How well do other Law Enforcement agencies work together? Wilhelmi answered, “We have [cooperation and communication with other agencies] already, in 9-1-1 emergencies, but can’t do it on a day-to-day routine. We’ve been making a huge gain in arrests, working through co-operative agencies in the County and surrounding counties. [We have] made a significant dent in the crime problem.”
7. What is the biggest problem facing Whiteside County? “Right now our methamphetamine problem is out of control. The State and Federal Government have failed us. There is a huge problem with mental illness in this Country; it is the hardest thing to cope with. Schizophrenia manifests in the late teens/early 20’s. [Offenders] are adults then. Parents could get evaluation and treatment for kids and put the child into a facility, but not as adults. There aren’t as many places. They have been shut down, and [that has] taken away the ability to help these people.”