I want to begin by letting everyone know that all of Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office thoughts and prayers go out to the victims families in Kerrville, Texas. This incredible act of nature should serve as a reminder to all of us to remain weather alert at all times. Our local Emergency Management has an established Swift Water Rescue team and was put on alert to respond if needed. This team is comprised of several local firefighters, police officers, and emergency service personnel. Emergency Management has also purchased two new boats to assist in situations such as these along with any Search & Rescue Mission. Residents can rest easy knowing that Pittsburg County has resources in place should a high water rescue is needed. However, the magnitude of the floodwaters, along with the loss of lives and property, we have witnessed in Kerrville, Texas leaves us all at a loss for words.
We have experienced two tornado incidents here in our county within the last sixty days. It was amazing to see all the local emergency services answer the call for service at the drop of a hat. But it was equally impressive to see the private citizens come forward and offer their time and equipment to help with those that were affected. Its times like this that the true meaning of love and affection can be seen and felt by our neighbors here in the community.
As the weather begins to heat up now, the lakes are becoming a popular destination. I would encourage everyone to use caution as they enjoy themselves. We had a serious ATV accident on the evening of July 4 in the Longtown area. This involved two juveniles riding a 4-wheeler at unsafe speeds. Our deputies have responded to several calls of underage kids operating golf carts, four -wheeler ATV’s, and these side by side UTV’s without any parent supervision.
These machines were not meant for children to operate! We will continue to be proactive to enforce the rules of the road but we need parents to be responsible and stop just allowing the kids to operate these vehicles. It is against the law and the parents can be held liable for the child’s actions. As we move through these summer months, deputies continue to patrol the recreation areas around Lake Eufaula to make sure everyone is safe.
Security measures are now in place at the Pittsburg County Courthouse with the metal detector and scanner fully operational. In case you haven’t visited the courthouse recently, the public is restricted to one entrance. The long walkway just to the west of the front of the building is now where you must enter the courthouse and pass through the security measures. Once you have finished your business inside, you may exit the building through the front doors. I appreciate all the courthouse employees being patient during this transition.
We are still in the process of updating our communication center here at the Sheriff Office. A Sheriff Grant has allowed us to purchase two new dispatch consoles that will have the capability to communicate with all adjoining agencies with the click of the mouse. This has been a top priority since I became Sheriff due to officer safety issues. Many times we receive a call for service and dispatch cannot communicate with other responding agencies that may be needed to assist our deputies. Its just another way we can better serve the people of Pittsburg County when they call for our help. This was made possible with a $300,000 grant we received from the Oklahoma Legislature to assist all Sheriff’s Office throughout Oklahoma due to lack of funding.
We continue to work together with Choctaw Nation and assist each other through the hoops that have come about since the Supreme Court Decision ( U.S. vs. McGirt). We will continue to serve the people of Pittsburg County with honor and integrity. Thanks again to everyone who has helped this agency these past several months to overcome not only Mother Nature, but the many other obstacles we have overcame. Feel free to contact our Office at any time if we can help you in any way!
-Sheriff Frankie McClendon
