Latest news with #CockeCountySheriff'sOffice
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
As Cocke County continues economic recovery, sheriff's office seeks new hires
NEWPORT, Tenn. (WATE) — Hurricane Helene left many businesses in Cocke County closed for extended periods of time and led to a spike in the area's unemployment rate. One place looking to help lessen that number, is the Cocke County Sheriff's Office as the department is encouraging people to apply. We are six months removed from some of the worst flooding seen in East Tennessee that left towns in ruin and businesses closed. As businesses continue to reopen and more money begins to flow back the county, the Cocke County Sheriff's Office is looking for new employees to help fill vacant spots in their corrections facilities. Cocke County still striving for a return to normal six months after Helene flooding 'Corrections is a tough job. You're dealing with anywhere between 100-200 inmates throughout the day and a lot of that stuff can become stressful and you have to deal with that a lot,' Cocke County Sheriff C.J. Ball said. 'It's a tough job. I worked there for four years and I know exactly what it's like to work in corrections. Obviously, as years have gone by, I'm sure it's gotten worse. Put in an application, we'll review it. If we've got opening, we'll start calling people in the application process and then we'll go from there.' Cocke County Mayor Rob Mathis said the county's unemployment rate is currently around 7%. 'We lost about a years worth of progress on that. If you go back two years we are essentially where we were two years ago,' Mathis said. 'We're hoping again that we have that robust recovery so that we can make up for those losses and that unemployment rate. We can get to where we were or even better quicker than it took us to get their the first time.' Rural Metro Fire to charge non-subscribers $600 for emergency medical calls Due to the damage done to the Cocke County Jail on Main Street, the sheriff's office has had to resort to reopening the third floor jail in the county court house as well as transporting some inmates to a facility in Jefferson County. The department currently operating without a full staff. 'Our jail was. Last week we were down six. We've had to have four or five positions since the flood just to try, obviously for safety features number one, number two you've got to have the man power to control however many inmates you have in your facilities,' Ball said. 'When you're down six or seven, that's a lot of man power. That's about a whole shift.' Mathis said getting jobs filled and the unemployment numbers down is at the front of everyone's mind. 'It's the top priority. Getting people back in their homes and back in their workplace is a top priority for us,' he said. 'Nothing happens without them.' ▶ See more top stories on Ball told 6 New, anyone can come and apply. All you have to do is go to the Sherriff's Office and fill out an application. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Yahoo
Mother sues Cocke County Sheriff's Office over daughter's death
COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — A woman is suing the Cocke County Sheriff's Office over the death of her daughter. Deborah Jenkins filed a wrongful death lawsuit in regard to her daughter Kristina Dukes. In addition to CCSO, the county itself, the mayor, the sheriff, multiple deputies, the City of Newport, the Newport Police Department and others. Fatal crash in Morgan County, one driver charged with DUI Jenkins alleges that her daughter, after being arrested and taken to Cocke County Jail, developed a medical condition that was obviously serious. According to the lawsuit, the defendants were 'deliberately indifferent' and Dukes 'died without emergency treatment.' According to the lawsuit, Dukes was staying in an inn on February 29, 2024 and was experiencing symptoms of a medical event including confusion, lethargy, and incoherent speech. The desk clerk at the inn notices that Dukes was acting out of character and then called for medical help which soon arrived, transporting Dukes to Newport Medical Center. At the center, she tested negative for multiple drugs and was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus with hyperglycemia. The lawsuit continues the narrative, saying that after Dukes left the medical center, an employee called 911, reporting that she was outside the hospital's front doors asking a passerby 'for a number to get a fix.' Lawsuit: Alabama couple claims they were illegally arrested by Sevierville Police An officer arrived, found Dukes speaking incoherently and took her to jail, believing her to be 'high as hell,' the lawsuit alleges. The officer who took her into custody allegedly told another officer that he had arrested Dukes for drug-related crimes previously; the lawsuit says this statement was false and that Dukes was not known for drug use. During the drive for the jail, they she kept asking for help. At the jail, they checked her blood sugar which was 360. Dukes was 'nodding out' and officials decided to give her Narcan. She was monitored throughout the night and acted normally during breakfast according to records, the lawsuit alleges. On March 1, at 4:36 p.m., an inmate notified personnel that Dukes was on the ground in her cell. Personnel then called 911 to report stroke-like symptoms. She was taken to Newport Medical Center where a CT scan noted a stroke in her brain. She was transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center where she passed away on March 3. 'A big loss' Fire in Harrogate leaves one dead and two businesses destroyed 'The actions and omissions by all Defendants… were unreasonable and performed knowingly, wantonly, deliberately, indifferently, intentionally, maliciously and with gross negligence, callousness and reckless indifference to decedent's wellbeing and serious medical needs in reckless indifference to decedent's safety and life,' according to the lawsuit documents. The lawsuit alleges that Dukes' Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment rights were violated and the officers were improperly trained. Jenkins is seeking a jury trial, a judgement against the defendants, compensatory damages, punitive damages, and other relief. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
