The Effingham County Public Safety Committee met Thursday for their quarterly meeting. During the meeting the committee heard from the heads of various county departments, including the Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Management Agency, and the Health Department.
Sheriff Dave Mahon updated the committee on the Sheriff’s Office’s work with the Southeastern Illinois Drug Task Force. An Effingham County Deputy was assigned to the task force earlier this year. Sheriff Mahon called working with the drug task force a positive experience, adding that he has received good feedback about the Deputy assigned to the task force. The task force works to prevent street level drug trafficking in the region.
Emergency Management Director Pam Jacobs also provided updates about recent activity at the EMA building. Jacobs said that during the previous quarter there were 117 hours of training provided at their facility. Additionally, the annual emergency weather training certification class was attended by 38 residents of Effingham County. Jacobs also told the committee that plans are in the works to set up additional emergency shelters in Shumway, Beecher City, and Edgewood.
The committee also talked briefly about a potential policy to have a law enforcement officer present or available when welfare checks are made in response to activated medical alarms.