Sheriff Frazier reflects on law enforcement tenure

In an era when employees are quick to jump at the next career opportunity, Jason Frazier takes pride in being cut from a different cloth.

The veteran law enforcement officer and Parke County Sheriff, recently was recognized for 25 years with the department and says he is doing exactly what he wanted since he was a child.

"I have been a cop for 28 years and, on May 9, I hit my 25 years at the Sheriff's Department. I can't put my finger on just one thing, but I have always respected the badge and a lot of the tv programs I watched growing up as a child, showed police in a good light. I was always fascinated with the profession," Frazier told The Parke County Post.

After three years as an officer elsewhere, Frazier jumped for an opportunity with the Parke County Sheriff's Department and never looked back.

"I've always enjoyed coming over here and visiting. It is a beautiful county. The professionalism on the department has always been top notch, and second to none. I wanted to help maintain that," Frazier said. 

Over the years, changes have occurred not only in law enforcement and police expectations but also in community attitudes toward the profession. However, Frazier admits he is blessed to be a law enforcement officer in a community that still understands what the badge means and holds the position in high regard. 

"I think the volume of calls has increased a lot, and I don't know, but also the severity of the calls and the issues going on have changed. I am never suprised with what kind of calls come into the sheriff's department. This is a great county and we get great support from the people. I thank God we never experienced anything but positive feedback from our community. People go out of their way when they see us out in the community to come up and thank us," Frazier said. 

Two other big changes have been the addition of a drone for the department, as well as an app for the public to keep up with crime in Parke County. 

The drone was introduced in 2025 and has helped be an innovative solution in public safety and surveillance. The drone 

"I am pretty proud of the app and the drone program. I am all about being self sufficient as a police department. If we take a call, I want us to be able to work it start to finish. The Sheriff App has helped keep our information out there, be transparent, and I hope it is a big hit with everyone. I am pretty proud of it," Frazier said. 

As for the drone program, Frazier said it has helped his deputies cover a large county, especially when searching for a lost hiker, canoer, or child at one of the state parks. 

"That is a big area to cover. I used to be the K9 handler, and a perimeter is key. It is tough when the perimeter is a mile away and you have to contain someone in that area. Working the drone has been a huge help," Frazier said, adding deputy Chris McCann has done a great job with the drone program.

He said many reasons contribute to the department's great relationship with the community.

"We have national night out every year, and that is a huge event. We also have the school resource officer program, and the kids love seeing us in the schools now. I think that has been a huge, positive impact," Frazier noted. 

The impact has helped as the Parke County Sheriff's Department sees its share of crime, according to Frazier. 

"We deal with the sex crimes too often, but we are quick to resolve those issues. Property crimes will always be an issue, but we have been fortunate to solve those quickly. It is frustrating to see people lose their hard earned money and property. The most frustrating are the scams because they are ever changing. We warn the people and it changes the next time. They find victims willing to give them money, and it is pretty disturbing. We deal with some of the same calls as big cities. We have to deal with serious crimes and serious offenders every day," Frazier said. 

Frazier will be on the November General Election ballot, seeking another term as Sheriff. He was unopposed in the May Republican Primary. 

"The camaraderie between the deputies is huge. We are great friends and really like a family. This community is second to none, so supportive, and I truly mean that. It makes us want to work hard for them. I can't imagine myself doing anything else. As I near the retirement age, I don't want to retire. I love serving, and it is what I want to do. I feel I am good at it, and have done it more than half my life. I truly enjoy it," Frazier said.