“We’ve been making great improvements,” Fleener said. “Improvements to trainings and equipment, and improving our service by moving to 12-hour shifts.”

One of the major changes Fleener brought to the Sheriff’s Office this year was implementing new security measures at the Webster County Courthouse in August.

Visitors to the courthouse are now required to pass through a metal detector and have their bags searched for prohibited weapons, including firearms, when entering the building.

The move to add more security to the courthouse is one many counties across Iowa have made, Fleener said.

“I’d say almost half across the state have some sort of element in place,” he said. “It’s something that’s overdue for us with the amount of foot traffic and the amount of courtrooms that we have here.”

The entrance to the courthouse now has a metal detector and is staffed with a deputy from the Sheriff’s Office and a correctional officer from the Webster County Jail.

“In today’s environment, public buildings have been known to be susceptible to an array of different violent-type encounters, and we’re just adding a layer of protection to this building,” Fleener said.

The sheriff said increasing security at the courthouse was one of his main plans when he was running for office in 2020. The courthouse sees about 1,000 visitors each week, Fleener said.

Deputy Brett Knippel is spearheading the operation.

“I think it’s important, not only for our employees, but for our citizens that come here,” Fleener said.

Fleener also said that most people in today’s society expect some form of security in a public building like the courthouse, adding that the security measures aren’t as severe as a Transportation Security Administration search at an airport.

“Overall, it’s just a layer of protection for the courthouse employees, all citizens that do business here each and every day, and the judicial branch that operates on the third floor,” Fleener said.

Individuals who do attempt to enter the courthouse with a weapon will be asked to secure the weapon in their vehicle, or a secure lockbox will be available to lock the weapon in while the owner conducts their business in the courthouse.

Other prohibited items include knives, pepper spray, chemical agents, laser pointers and more.

Fleener has also secured a $50,000 grant for improved security technology, cameras and a new metal detector to be implemented gradually over the next several months.

Two deputies were promoted to the rank of sergeant during 2021 — Sgt. Mike Kenyon and Sgt. Josh Van Waes.

The Sheriff’s Office also saw the addition of four new deputies, all transfers from the Fort Dodge Police Department: Matt Burns, Tom Steck, Cody Harris and Dan Charlson. Former Fort Dodge Police Detective Larry Hedlund also retired from the Police Department and is now working as an investigator with the Webster County Attorney’s Office.

At the Webster County Jail, Sgt. Heather Perry was promoted from corrections officer to assistant jail administrator, under Jail Administrator Shawna Dencklau.

Fleener also helped secure a $2,300 donation from Webster County Crime Stoppers for the purchase of new equipment to be used to help subdue unruly and violent inmates at the jail.

In November, Crime Stoppers made the donation for the purchase of a pair of electric shock gloves known as Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter, or GLOVE, which is a safer and more sustainable alternative to using a Taser in close quarters like a jail cell. The donation also purchased an E-Band Restrictor, which goes around the ankle and will be used when officers have to take inmates out of the jail for trials and doctor’s appointments, when the inmate cannot be shackled.

With these purchases, the Webster County Jail became the first agency in Iowa to obtain this equipment. As of early January, Fleener said the shock gloves had not yet been used.

The Sheriff’s Office recently received a $4,000 donation from the organization Serving Our Servants to purchase new Class A dress hats for all the deputies in the department.

Looking ahead to 2022, the sheriff said there’s always room for improvement in serving Webster County.

“We’re focused on continuing to make our department better,” Fleener said. The department is fully staffed with 19 sworn deputies, three clerical staff and one civil processor. The jail, he said, has 20 corrections officers.

Recently, the Webster County Board of Supervisors and Fort Dodge City Council heard the results of a jail study requested by Fleener to look into the possibility of construction of a new law enforcement center. That project is expected to continue to progress throughout the year.