New Grundy County sheriff conducting evidence audit

photo Clint Shrum

New Grundy County, Tenn., Sheriff Clint Shrum, who took his post Sept. 1, has spent the month getting started with a clean slate, beginning with an evidence room audit and policy updates.

"We wanted to make sure that we had all our evidence where it's supposed to be," Shrum said. "That was one of the pieces here at the Sheriff's Office that was in question, because we had an employee here that was indicted for stealing guns."

The employee charged in July in a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe was Deke Stone, a former captain with the department.

The audit is in its fourth week and, along with other evidence, includes 329 guns connected to cases that go back as far as 2001, Shrum said. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is assisting in the audit.

In the TBI investigation, Stone was charged with official misconduct and theft over $1,000 for allegedly swiping three handguns from the Sheriff's Office evidence room in June 2013. Stone, 33 at the time he was charged in July, left his job before the TBI investigation began.

TBI spokesman Josh DeVine said Thursday that Stone's case "is still in the adjudication process."

Shrum said the audit so far has connected about 70 of the guns to cases that have been disposed of in court. Some are likely to be recovered stolen weapons, too.

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"There has been nothing that has aroused my suspicions that anything else is missing at this point," Shrum said, noting it was still early in the audit.

Other changes Shrum is making include additional courthouse security, new north and south patrol zones to improve response times, and a no-tobacco-products policy for jail inmates.

Inmates weren't allowed to smoke before, but they had been able to use chewing tobacco and dip, he said.

"I have stopped that and it's tough times for some of those guys right now, but what we're trying to do is condition inmates to a system of rules," he said.

Shrum said he's starting an inmate work program for qualifying non-violent prisoners who can work on litter and mowing crews to clean up roadsides and county property.

Shrum also started reducing the inmate population - now down by 18 percent from last month - by returning state inmates to the Tennessee Department of Correction to make more room for local inmates.

The 1970s-era jail's capacity is supposed to be 34, but still stands around 50, he said.

Bids were opened this month for a new jail, with the low bid coming in at $6.9 million for a facility that will alleviate space problems. The apparent low bidder was Rentenbach Constructors in Chattanooga. Bids are good for 60 days.

Shrum said he, County Mayor Michael Brady and the County Commission hope to work with the contractor on further cost savings.

Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com, twitter.com/BenBenton, www.facebook.com/ben.benton1 or 423-757-6569.

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