Sheriff’s Department Kicks Off Town Hall Meetings

Jamestown, CA — Under the guidance of Captain Michael Bailey, Sheriff Jim Mele and Lt. George Ruckman (seated left to right), the Tuolumne County Sheriff´s Department kicked off its series of Town Hall meetings Tuesday evening at the Jamestown Community Center on Main Street.

Jamestown was selected as the first site for a Town Hall meeting due to the enthusiasm demonstrated by Fifth District Supervisor Dick Pland who attended the meeting with his wife Audrey. Lt. Dan Bressler served as moderator.

13 Tuolumne County residents turned out for the meeting. Expressed citizen concerns centered on a lack of deputies to adequately police the 2,200 square mile county. Tuesday evening, for example, only four deputies were covering the entire county and according to Mele, his department only has 18 patrol officers. Still another concern was skateboarding in the historic Jamestown area and the negative effect it has on businesses and tourists.

The Town Hall meetings will continue on March 15 in Twain Harte and they will be conducted throughout the county on a monthly basis.

Written by Bill Johnson