County Commissioners Discuss Sheriff’s Office Budget

MUSKINGUM COUNTY, Ohio- The Muskingum County County Commissioners met with Sheriff Matt Lutz this morning to discuss the Sheriff’s Office budget. 

The Sheriff’s Office recently received a grant where the funds were used towards upgrading 911 equipment in the control room.

The grant covered about 60 percent of the upgraded equipment and the county commissioners funded the other 40 percent. 

“The equipment was really more of a need than a desire or want. The last thing we want is a phone call at 2:00 in the morning and our 911 system goes down and we are not able to fix it. It’s relied on heavily by our officers, dispatchers and our citizens, so we want to make sure we can get the help out wherever we need to be,” Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz said.

The Sheriff’s Office also applied for a state jail grant in which the funds would go towards a new jail. As Sheriff Lutz has said in the past, it’s no secret the county needs a new jail. The county jail is currently over capacity. 

“Anytime you start getting that many prisoners in one area, you start looking to have issues of all kinds. Obviously, we’re trying to take safety precautions for our people as well as the inmates,” Lutz said. “Crime doesn’t stop. We’re indicting people every week.”

Lutz said they are waiting on word if they received funds from the state jail grants.