Since Ellsworth County Sheriff Kenny Bernard realized his department needed an update on new regulations that apply to juvenile offenders, he didn’t hesitate to attend a recent law-enforcement training session offered by Juvenile Services (JS).
Marissa Woodmansee, JS executive director, and Casey Rowland, family engagement advocate, facilitated the discussions.
“There were several good informational pieces during the training,” Bernard said. “One focused on Notices to Appear (NTA) in court and detention – which one to use and why.
“My officers now have a better understanding of how and why they should use the NTA or detention process.”
Another section of the training focused on state and federal regulations, as well as JS programs available to children and families.
“We talked about how law enforcement can help families get access to these programs,” Bernard commented. “During my after-action review, our officers pointed out they now feel more confident in how to respond to juvenile-related incidents and how to document the cases. I recommend this training to all officers in the 20th Judicial District.”
Bernard also noted that one of his goals as sheriff is to educate the community about mental-health programs and to bring more of these options to rural areas.
Juvenile Services
Marissa Woodmansee appreciates the turnout from the Ellsworth County officers “who were eager to learn about new regulations and all of our programs. The sheriff, his patrol officers and one from the Ellsworth Police Department should be commended for taking the time to address these issues.”
JS offers this special law-enforcement training quarterly, rotating the counties in the 20th Judicial District – Barton, Ellsworth, Rice, Russell and Stafford.
“We encourage all law-enforcement officers in this area to attend the training,” Woodmansee emphasized. “They can hear updates on new laws and programs, as well as reminders about current issues.
“Equally important, they can build relationships with our Juvenile Services staff during in-person discussions rather than waiting until they are in the middle of a case. This is good for veterans and new officers alike.”
The biggest collaboration between JS and law enforcement is the intake-and-assessment process.
“We also need officers to be assured that there are follow-ups for juveniles after the law-enforcement interaction,” Woodmansee commented. “These include diversion, probation and family engagement, along with connections to other JS services and community resources.
“We want them to know that when they make an arrest, JS always gets involved. We will step in and offer the most appropriate services for the circumstances.”
20th Judicial District Juvenile Services empowers youth in Barton, Rice, Ellsworth, Stafford and Russell counties to achieve positive outcomes by offering Juvenile Intake & Assessment, Immediate Intervention, Intensive Supervised Probation, Case Management, Journey to Change, Life Skills, All Stars and Youth Crew. Parents and guardians also are offered The Parent Project. Visit 1800 12th in Great Bend or call 620-793-1930.
