OC Sheriff announces New Tool to combat Criminal Domestic Violence

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office announces a partnership with D.C.T. Detection, LLC of Oconee County in its continuing efforts to combat crime, especially criminal domestic violence.  D.C.T. Detection, LLC is owned by Dale and Tanya Colegrove, with their offices located in West Union. “It is the heart beat of my wife and me to help children with the blessings that we receive in making sure they have a stable and safe environment to stay,” says Mr. Colegrove.  The new partnership is an initiative, according to Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw, to use technology, in this case ankle monitoring technology, to monitor offenders in cases of Criminal Domestic Violence.  The GPS and Real Time Alcohol Detection and Recognition (R.A.D.A.R. System) technology is provided by Emerge Monitoring.  “So much of what we have been doing in our mission and vision statements is about building partnerships and personal interaction of the deputies with the citizens,” says Sheriff Crenshaw.  “With that being said, we are in the 21^st century, we do have technology at our fingertips, and I think that this is an example of where the Sheriff’s Office is going to use technology to assist us and to keep victims safer in Oconee County.” Sheriff Crenshaw points out that ankle monitoring has been used for many types of offenses and is state and nationwide in terms of its use.  The Sheriff said that he was impressed with the presentation from D.C.T. as well as the technology.  As far as he knows, this will be the first time where live ankle monitoring will be utilized to add another layer of protection for the future domestic violence shelter that is so desperately needed in Oconee County. Safe Harbor is currently raising money to have a location in Oconee for victims of domestic violence. “It’s called Safe Harbor for a reason. Victims deserve to know they are protected. This technology will give them that peace of mind.  Once we get a domestic violence shelter in place in Oconee County, we are going to take it one step further to protect that victim and we are going to ask the judge to order ankle monitoring for any offender whose victim is at the shelter, any second offense and above domestic violence cases, some first offense, depending on the circumstances and if our investigation determines that the threat is there of violence or harm.” says Sheriff Crenshaw. Currently the magistrates in Oconee County and the Oconee County Detention Center are using D.C.T. Detection, LLC for ankle monitoring technology.  The Sheriff says D.C.T. monitoring is live monitoring, which is different from what other companies offer.  A demonstration was conducted Tuesday at the Sheriff’s Office to demonstrate this technology.  Sheriff Crenshaw said with the technology in place, a unique radius will be put around the domestic violence shelter and if an offender goes within that radius, the Sheriff’s Office would be notified.  “At that point,” says Sheriff Crenshaw, “we will be asking the judge to revoke their bond and send them back to jail.” The good news for Oconee County tax payers, according to the Sheriff, will be zero cost to the taxpayers, as the offender under this plan pays D.C.T. Detection $10 a day, for which the Sheriff’s Office receives no money.   But, there are other benefits to this plan to the citizens of Oconee County, according to the Sheriff.  Other cases besides criminal domestic violence cases in which ankle monitoring could be ordered could be in drug cases, property crime cases, and criminal sexual conduct cases or in situations where orders of protection have been issued.  Plus, D.C.T. offers alcohol monitoring for those that may have a chronic problem with driving under the influence. “It will aid us in our investigations; it will allow us to use technology to help victims feel a great sense of security.  Plus, there are other crimes for which this will be a benefit. Going forward, not only is it going to help us in regards to domestic violence, but if we have an offender who has been charged with burglary, and we feel like that the offender will be a continued threat if they get out on bond, we are going to look at cases like that and ask magistrates to order ankle monitoring in those type of cases.” Sheriff Crenshaw also pointed out that judges and magistrates could refuse to order the ankle monitoring.  The Sheriff says that deputies will have to attend bond hearings and present to the judge facts and circumstances to articulate this need.  The Sheriff also said that the ankle monitoring technology has been tested and is very effective.  He also says that D.C.T. has the court orders in place to allow for this type of monitoring to be ordered by the magistrates and judges.  Also present at the press conference was Tom Van Houten, Vice President of Emerge Monitoring and Bankers Financial Corporation.  Emerge Monitoring and Bankers Financial, along with D.C.T. Detection, LLC made a donation of $500 to the capital campaign building fund for the Safe Harbor domestic violence shelter.  The companies also announced that they will be donating $1 per day out of that $10 for every individual track ankle monitor that placed on a domestic violence offender in Oconee County.  This money will be donated monthly for daily operational expenses for Safe Harbor.