OPERATIONS

Twenty two deputies are assigned to field operations within the Cass County Sheriffs Office. These deputies are the most visible to the general public as their duties take them into our communities on a daily basis. These officers are assigned to Civil Process, Investigations, Warrants, Patrol, and Transportation.

"Adopt-a-Community" is a community policing program which assigns a deputy sheriff to a community which does not have a police department. The officer assigned attends city council meetings, fire department meetings, school functions, community gatherings, etc. and in effect becomes "their officer". The community and the officer build a trust which allows a greater exchange of information and ultimately a safer community in which to live.

As a participant of the ‘In the State Shuttle System’ which covers the entire northwest section of the United States; our office has seen a significant reduction in the cost to taxpayers for transportation of wanted subjects. The shuttle system utilizes deputy sheriffs throughout the region to transports prisoners from one location to another to form a giant transportation network. Each small link move the wanted person from state to state until they arrive at their final destination.

Deputies are also assigned to multi-jurisdictional task forces, the Federal Drug Task Force and the Fargo-Moorhead Gang Task Force.

Capt. Rick Majerus Chief Investigator

INVESTIGATIVE DIVISION

This division is divided into criminal investigations and warrants. Currently there is one Lieutenant that supervises this division which consists of nine deputies.

INVESTIGATIONS

Four investigators are assigned to criminal complaints as they are generated by the deputies, or called into the office by phone. These complaints range from crimes against property to crimes against persons, such as rape and homicides.

Two investigators are assigned to Cass County Social Services to investigate welfare fraud cases. These two investigators are housed in the Annex building with Social Services.

On the average, 1400 criminal cases are investigated each year.

WARRANTS

A sergeant and three deputies are assigned to serve warrants and make up the second part of this division.

Warrants are received by the Sheriff’s Office from the various municipal and district courts in Cass County and served on a daily basis. The Sheriff’s Office receives an average of 4200 warrants per year, and clears about 85-90 percent of that number.

These warrants include A and B misdemeanor, and class A, B and C felonies.

The Sheriff’s Office carries about 5500 active warrants in its case files. That many warrants make for a very significant case load for these three deputies to work on.

Those with minor outstanding warrants may make arrangements to appear in court on their own but risk arrest if stopped by a law enforcement officer or if they fail to make their scheduled court date. Those individuals with serious offenses are contacted, arrested and placed in jail to await court appearances.

Capt. Mike Argall Field Supervisor

FIELD DIVISION

This division is divided into civil and patrol. One Lieutenant supervises this division which consists of fourteen deputies.

CIVIL PROCESS

Since the sheriff is mandated by statute to serve all civil process, it is his obligation to determine that all process that he receives is valid on its face; all process deputies are likewise liable for the legal performance of their duties. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office serves about 10,000 civil actions a year. Civil actions consist of civil suits, court orders, small claims, subpoenas, and executions. In order to be efficient, the civil process is divided by geographical location and assigned to the four full time deputies.

PATROL

Cass County is about 1,700 square miles and has been divided into four patrol districts, with deputies traveling about 265,000 miles per year and handling 2,000 reported calls for service.

The patrol staff, consisting of two sergeants and 12 deputies, have taken a pro-active approach to law enforcement with the ultimate goal to prevent crime and violence. In an effort to safeguard the rights, lives and property of the citizens of Cass County, we have implemented the Adopt-A-Community Program. This program is designed to strengthen community spirit and build support for crime prevention.

The deputies spend about 275 hours on crime prevention talks and programs each year. During their patrol shifts, they complete 70,000 building/door checks on business and residences, along with 700 motorist assists.

It is also the policy of the department to promote traffic safety through traffic law enforcement. The deputies issue about 1,200 traffic citations, 1,100 traffic warnings along with checking 4,500 people and 7,500 vehicles through the National Crime Information Center for wanted or stolen. We also respond to about 150 motor vehicle crashes per year and participate with local law enforcement in D.U.I. saturation patrols and arrest about 125 drunk or drugged drivers per year.

GANG OFFICER

In an effort to curtail gang activity in Cass and Clay County, we have assigned a deputy to work with the local Gang Task Force. Gang enforcement teams have been established to work the street and deal with matters that are gang related along with stopping and talking to groups of suspected gang members.