Sheriff Staffing, Emergency Sirens, School Safety and Development Highlight County Commission Meeting
- John Eads
- Aug 7
- 6 min read
TROY, Mo. — Deputies are continuing to leave Lincoln County for better-paying opportunities, one community’s aging warning siren has reached the point of temporary repairs with duct tape, and new emergency plans are being placed in the hands of first responders before the school year begins.
Those were among the issues brought before the Lincoln County Commission during its Aug. 6 meeting, which included updates from the Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Management, Highway Department and Collector’s Office, along with several floodplain and development matters.
Lincoln County Sheriff Rick Harrell told commissioners the Sheriff’s Office remains under a hiring freeze and is currently at 17 patrol positions, one below the 18-position baseline previously discussed. K-9 handler Brock Rumple is leaving for another agency, and Harrell said he expected a detective could also submit paperwork to leave.
Harrell said Lincoln County remains unable to compete with surrounding agencies on salary, benefits and retirement. The starting salary for a deputy is approximately $50,000, low enough to qualify for a state supplemental grant that adds additional money to deputies’ pay.
The department is prioritizing retaining experienced personnel rather than simply filling every vacancy. Harrell told commissioners he would rather have four experts than six amateurs protecting his friends and family.
One potentially positive development is happening inside the Lincoln County Jail. Harrell reported 188 inmates were being housed Thursday — 82 local inmates, 48 federal inmates and 58 from Boone County. Contracted inmates have climbed above 100 for the first time in approximately five or six years.
That generates additional revenue, but Harrell cautioned against considering it a permanent solution. Boone County voters approved funding for a new jail, and Harrell estimated Lincoln County could lose that relationship in approximately three years once the new facility is operational.
The long-term funding problem remains unresolved following the failure of a public-safety funding proposal earlier this year. Harrell confirmed discussions with commissioners about future possibilities have continued.
The July 28 shooting and standoff near Highway W and Pinewood also prompted discussion about protection available to deputies. A Missouri State Highway Patrol SWAT trooper was struck in the helmet by gunfire during the incident, while Harrell said Lincoln County deputies were only feet behind the SWAT team when firing began.
Most Lincoln County deputies are not routinely issued ballistic helmets. Some have purchased their own, and the Sheriff’s Office is now evaluating equipment and potential funding sources, including fundraising if necessary.
The department also received a no-match crime-prevention grant worth just under $20,000. Harrell said the money will help purchase a crime-scene freezer, replace aging computers and add technology for crime-scene diagramming, which is currently being done using pencil-and-ruler methods.
Commissioners also approved retiring K-9 Nik to Rumple as his handler leaves the department. Harrell said retraining Nik with what would become his fourth handler for potentially another year of service did not make operational or financial sense. An organization is expected to donate a replacement K-9 that could provide another five or six years of service with a new handler.
Watch the Aug. 6 Lincoln County Commission meeting, including discussions on public safety, emergency preparedness, development and county operations.
Emergency Management Director Quentin Laws reported five drone deployments in the previous three weeks, including an Election Day missing-person search and the Pinewood standoff. During the standoff, a regional drone team flew small drones inside the residence, which Laws said he believes helped save lives and shortened the incident.
New school emergency command books are also being distributed to law enforcement, fire and EMS command personnel. The laminated books include school layouts, QR codes for digital access and checklists designed to guide responders through critical steps during an active shooter or other major emergency.
A regional walkthrough of Troy Buchanan High School and the Ninth Grade Center is also planned to familiarize outside agencies that could respond during a large-scale emergency.
Lincoln County is meanwhile seeking more than $300,000 through a hazard-mitigation grant for outdoor warning sirens. Laws said the application has been shortlisted among roughly 100 remaining applications after thousands were initially submitted.
Hawk Point could be among the first priorities if funding is awarded. Replacement components for its siren are no longer manufactured, and Laws said he and another county employee recently had to temporarily repair portions of the equipment with duct tape.
Commissioners also approved the county’s updated Emergency Operations Plan following state and federal review. The county’s Hazard Mitigation Plan is nearing completion, with two school districts still needing to complete their portions before final review.
Emergency Management reported 13 missing children during the Lincoln County Fair, with all 13 reunited with their families. EMS handled several heat-related incidents, while the Sheriff’s Office responded to an incident in the parking area involving guns and drugs.
Floodplain and development matters also took up a portion of Thursday’s meeting.
An application involving Brussels Valley came before officials after dirt work initially began without a county permit. Laws said residents contacted the county, the work was stopped and the property owner later submitted the proper application. Laws said the project qualifies under county ordinance.
Officials also confirmed that work filling a large depression along Highway 79 has the necessary county and Missouri Department of Natural Resources approval.
Commissioners spent additional time reviewing Majestic Lakes, where several lots are involved in a federal Letter of Map Amendment process. Laws explained that federal floodplain requirements and Lincoln County’s local elevation requirements differ.
Commissioners want to visit the property before deciding whether to sign the county documentation and have several weeks remaining to act.
SEMA and FEMA are also reviewing Lincoln County’s flood maps, which is expected to eventually produce updated National Flood Insurance Program maps.
Emergency Management continues working through flood recovery as well, including an upcoming one-year review of the Elsberry flooding and reimbursement issues. Laws said Winfield-Foley Fire Protection District is expected to qualify for at least some reimbursement involving a truck lost during flooding.
Highway Department Director Jeremy Partl reported continued work on Patton Point Road, where part of the road base failed and required excavation and repair. Crews also worked on Blackmore Road, replaced a culvert on Hampel Road and completed ditching on Duckett Road ahead of another culvert replacement. Thursday’s rain also had crews monitoring low-water crossings and culverts.
Collector Jessica Zumwalt reported the number of properties remaining from the county tax sale had dropped from around 80 last month to 41. Signs have been placed on several properties, and inquiries have already been received on three of the first five. Zumwalt said she hopes to reduce the number to fewer than 10 by the end of August.
Zumwalt also reported improvements at the Collector’s Office building, including cleaning and plans for handicap-accessible doors to address difficulties some visitors have experienced with the existing entrance.
Thursday’s meeting left several issues to watch in the coming months, including the Sheriff’s Office’s long-term funding and staffing problem, the county’s warning-siren grant application and the pending Majestic Lakes floodplain decision.
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Story by: John Eads
Primary Sources
Lincoln County Commission meeting, Aug. 6, 2026
Lincoln County Commission Aug. 6, 2026 meeting agenda
Lincoln County Commission meeting video and recording
Statements and presentations made by county officials during the public meeting
Lincoln CountyWatch photographs and video from the meeting
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