The Moniteau County Sheriff's Department is responsible for patrol and law enforcement in about 515 square miles. The responsibility includes the entire county, except for the City of California and the City of Tipton, each of which has its own police force. The department implements needed upgrades when possible.
Currently, the Sheriff's Department is working to obtain funding for Tasers. The department has a Taser Certified Instructor who will train the remainder of the officers before they are equipped with a taser in addition to the equipment already carried.
The department is staffed by full-time and part-time employees. Assisting Sheriff Jeptha "J" Gump in law enforcement duties are full-time employees Chief Deputy Kevin Morse, Corporal Wayne Cleveland, Tyler Homan and Edward Wiecken. Morse is in charge of the patrol officers and is second in command. Cleveland, Homan and Wiecken are full-time patrol officers.
Other full-time employees include: Lorrie Strickfaden, Jail Administrator; Leticia Howard, Sheriff's Business Office Manager; jailors/deputies Jeffrey Cook, John Rollins and Audrey Laczko; and jailors Seth Reinkemeyer, Terry Robb and James Wiecken. Reserve/part-time deputies are: Jason Bilyeu, Scott Harkins, James Tharp, Corey Sullivan, Richard Latham, Mike Wise, Terry Everett, Seth Everett, Bob Walter, Todd Cardone, David Snellen, Chris Pickering, Shane Templeton, Matt Jones, and Kenny Moore and Ralph Lindsey, who serve as bailiffs and transport officers. Reserve/part-time jailors are: William Leffert, Gary Buerky, Wade Reed, Matt Reed, Jerry Hall, Elaine Hall, Brad Stuedle and Robert Pace. Reserve office staff is Helen Drinkard.
After the opening of the new jail, the old jail at the 102 East North Street became the Sheriff's Business Office.
The new jail, which is now the center of the Moniteau County Sheriff's Department, began housing inmates in 2013. The $3 million facility is north of the courthouse at 210 East North Street. It is capable of housing up to 42 inmates, including 12 to 16 females. The capacity of the new facility reduces some costs related to the former need for housing a number inmates off-site, including all females. Not only did it cost the county for other county facilities to feed and house Moniteau County prisoners, the need for transporting prisoners to and from the other county jails for court appearances added to the costs. In addition to other savings, the new jail reduces the resources needed for maintenance of the transporting vehicle and the pay expense for deputies doing the prisoner transport.
To carry out the duties of the sheriff's office, the department has four Ford Crown Victoria patrol cars, three Chevrolet pickups, a Dodge Durango and in reserve, a 1985 Chevrolet truck from surplus property.
The 4x4 pickups allow easier access to some of the gravel roads in the county and also allow law enforcement response in the rough winter months. The Durango is used for transporting jail inmates when needed.
According to information provided by Presiding County Commissioner Kenny Kunze, Nicholas H. Gray was Moniteau County Sheriff/Collector when the county was organized in 1845.