Putnam County Sheriff's Office sees busy year

In recently released information from Putnam County Sheriff Jerrod Baugh, 2025 was a busy one for the sheriff's office. 

"We remain committed to continuous improvement through training, professionalism and accountability. Our deputies and staff will continue to serve the citizens of Putnam County with dedication and excellence," Baugh said. 

The department's patrol division handled over 10,000 calls for service last year, with over a thousand of those being for traffic accidents. Deputies responded to 280 domestic incidents, participated in 526 warrants being served, responded to 270 intrusion alarms and took part in 2,650 traffic stops, with 25 of those being stop arm violations for school buses. 

In addition, the department partnered with South Putnam elementary schools to bring the D.A.R.E. program into the buildings. 

"This initiative is designed to provide early intervention and education that equips today’s youth with the knowledge and skills necessary to make healthy choices and avoid the path of drug use and addiction," Baugh said. 

Baugh noted his department continues to serve as the primary responders to mental health incidents, and in 2025, the department responded to 103 calls consisting of psychiatric crises, suicidal behavior, or other mental health disorders.

The department's K9 program also got in on the work, performing several educational demos as well as taking drugs off the streets of Putnam County and assisting other departments. In all, the K9 team took over four thousand pounds of marijuana, 34 kilos of heroin and 55 kilos of cocaine off the streets. 

When it comes to jail operations, the jail recorded 1,107 book ins, with a breakdown of 808 males and 299 female inmates, which is down slightly from 2024, according to Baugh. 

"The most common reason for incarceration was local warrants or court orders, followed by Operating While Intoxicated Arrest (OWI)," Baugh said. 

With an average daily population of 105 inmates, the jail was down in population compared to 2024, however, Baugh said there was overcrowding on 39 percent of the days. Overcrowding happens when the jail operates above 80 percent of bed capacity.