Sheriff Deputy Jay Truchan proudly holds his Department Commendation Award he received last week for initiating two projects to help the citizens of Jackson County. To his left is Sheriff Gary Schuette and to his right is Undersheriff Christopher Simpson.
PHOTO COURTESY JACKSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
By John Hummer
Editor
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Norvell Township Deputy Jay Truchan received a Department Commendation 2021 Award at the Sheriff Awards Banquet last Thursday.
Deputy Truchan designed, gathered volunteer donations, and implemented the construction and completion of two projects that he took upon himself.
The first is the Life Jacket Safety Program which consists of specially-designed stations, currently implemented at three county parks, that hold life jackets in which swimmers inclined to borrow can do so at no charge. A sign at the stations read, “Borrow a life jacket in your size and kindly return it when you are finished.” Life jacket safety stations are currently in place at the public swim areas of Clark Lake, Grass Lake, and Vandercook Lake county parks. Each station is stocked with eight life jackets donated by Eagle Point Marina of Clarklake. A plan is in place for a station with life jackets to be built at every public swim area and lake in Jackson County.
The second project Truchan initiated is The Jackson County Sheriff Assistance & Resource Brochure, a pamphlet which contains 37 resource contact numbers for area agencies that can assist a citizen with legal assistance, mental health, drug addiction and additional helpful support services. Sheriff road patrol and corrections deputies can hand out the pamphlet and possibly reduce calls for service as citizens can contact those services which impact them the most.
