Introducing a Hybrid Position between Community Corrections and the Sheriff's Department

SESSION INFO

Monday, August 19, 2019
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM
Session Type: Workshop

Lyon County Community Corrections and the Lyon County Sheriff's Department have collaborated to create a Probation Enforcement Officer position. This useful staff member, who operates under supervision of the Director of Community Corrections in consultation with the Sheriff, has the primary responsibility of focusing on enforcement of terms and conditions of probation. This session will give an inside look at the rationale for creating this position, aspects of policy development, and how the supervision arrangement works. You will want to hear how having a Probation Enforcement Officer has filled a need in Lyon County and has promoted success. Creating this hybrid position has been a truly productive collaborative effort and stands out as a great example of what can be accomplished in the criminal justice field.

SESSION PRESENTERS

Jeff Cope
Sheriff of Lyon County, Lyon County Sheriff Department - KS


Jeff Cope - started his career in Law Enforcement in 1990. He is currently the Lyon County Sheriff serving in that capacity since November of 2010. During his career he has served as a Field Training Officer, a Special Response Team member, defensive tactics instructor and infectious disease officer. He has received the Kansas Jaycees Outstanding Young Protector award and the Silver Award for Life Saving from the Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police. He was the 2017 President of the Kansas Sheriffs Association and is currently serving as the first past president of the association.


Dir. Steven L Willis
Director, Fifth Judicial District Community Corrections (KS)


Steve Willis - He has 12 years’ experience working in the field of probation services/corrections, including work as a Domestic Mediator in the Kansas City Metro area. Steve served in multiple roles for the Kansas Department of Corrections, including Staff Development Coordinator and Policy Consultant. Steve served Douglas County, Kansas as the Deputy Director of Community Corrections from 2011-2014 where he developed programming, and lead a team supervising high risk adult felony offenders. Steve now serves Chase and Lyon County Kansas as the Director of Community Corrections where he is responsible for the overall operation of the Fifth Judicial District Community Corrections’ programs.