Phone Cards

Telephones are available in each housing unit.  Telephone calls are either called as a collect call or by phone cards that are purchased for the inmate.  Phone cards are available for purchase on commissary or from jail staff.  The costs for the cards are $10 and $20.  Please have exact change.

You can contact the facility with any questions not covered in the information above the following two ways:

Immediate inquiries                                               Jail Phone Line (812) 427-2057

Email inquiries (no immediate response)              LuAnn Schaefer, Jail Commander

Bond Information

Bail sign.Any inmate who has a bond set either by the Judge or by a bond schedule will be eligible to bond out of jail.  An inmate’s bond can be paid at any time.  Contacting a bondsman is the responsibility of either the inmate or a family member.  CASH ONLY bonds can be paid directly to the jail without going through a bondsman.  Have EXACT AMOUNT OF CASH when bonding an inmate out of jail.  NO PERSONAL CHECKS ARE ACCEPTED.

For your convenience, the following bonding agents are approved to execute bonds with this facility:

Bob Neeley Bail Bonding                  513-310-6563

Barney’s Bail Bonding                       513-313-2955  or  800-490-1535

Freebird Bail Bonding                       812-413-3112

Gary Good                                          800-320-6928  or  812-537-4007

John Stewart                                      812-599-4098

Lady Liberty Bail Bonding                812-599-3722

Mark Sutter                                       812-273-5473  or  812-871-6868

Web Bail Bonding                            866-647-4447  or  812-537-4447

NOTE –  The Switzerland County Jail does not endorse any one bondsman over another.

 

You can contact the facility with any questions not covered in the information above the following two ways:

Immediate inquiries                                               Jail Phone Line (812) 427-2057

Email inquiries (no immediate response)              LuAnn Schaefer, Jail Commander

 

General Inmate Information

Prison interior

 MAIL

Please address all mail in the following manner:

 Inmate’s Name
 C/O Switzerland County Jail
 405 Liberty Street
 Vevay, IN 47043

 

All incoming mail must have the sender’s full name and return address on the outside of the envelope or the mail will not be delivered to the inmate.  All incoming mail will be opened by the jail staff and inspected for contraband or funds.  The only items that may be  mailed to an inmate are soft cover books (only if mailed directly from the publisher), letters, cash, money orders or stamps.  Colored pages or computer printed materials will not be delivered.  Attorney client correspondence will be opened in the presence of the inmate to whom it is addressed.

 RELEASED INMATE PROPERTY

Property of a released inmate will be given to them upon release from our facility.  If the inmate is released from another facility, the property will be held for up to one year.  Any items not picked up after one year will be destroyed.

 MONEY

Money can be placed on an inmate’s account at any time.  $10 and $20 phone cards may be purchased through jail staff at any time and are distributed to the inmates once a day. Note: Exact change is required.

 COMMISSARY

Inmates will have access to commissary three (3) times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays unless under disciplinary action for violation of a jail rule.  Commissary may not be available on select holidays.

 

You can contact the facility with any questions not covered in the information above the following two ways:

Immediate inquiries                                               Jail Phone Line (812) 427-2057

Email inquiries (no immediate response)              LuAnn Schaefer, Jail Commander

 

Annual Report

Annual Report Document         

Switzerland County Sheriff Nathan E. Hughes, Switzerland County Sheriff’s Office, reports departmental statistics for the year 2015.

Annual Report 2015

 

 

Office Directory

The Switzerland County Sheriff’s Office has provided the following phone numbers and e-mail addresses for the convenience of the citizens of Switzerland County.
         
         
         
PHONE NUMBERS        
         
Emergencies:   Dial 911    
         
Sheriff’s Office Main Number:   812-427-3636    
         
Jail:   812-427-2057    
         
Fax Line:   812-427-3244    
         
         
         
E-MAIL ADDRESSES        
         
Sheriff Brian L. Morton   bmorton@scso-in.org    
         
Chief Deputy Chris Curry   ccurry@scso-in.org    
         
Sgt. John A. Mills   jmills@scso-in.org    
         
Detective Joe Spilman   jspilman@scso-in.org    
         
Deputy Richard Lock   richard.lock@scso-in.org    
         
Deputy Dave Davenport   ddavenport@scso-in.org    
         
Deputy Mike Dawson   mdawson@scso-in.org    
         
Deputy Adam Archer   adam.archer@scso-in.org    
         
Deputy Robert Morton   robert.morton@scso-in.org    
         
Deputy Joseph Spilman   jspilman@scso-in.org    
         
 Deputy Chad Terpening   chad.terpening@scso-in.org    
         
Sex Offender Registrar   emclellan@scso-in.org    
         
Matron   keisha.morton@scso-in.org    
         
911 Director   khayes@scso-in.org    
         
Jail Commander   lschaefer@scso-in.org    
         
         
         
         
         
         

Useful Websites

 

www.Snopes.com   (website to find out if that e-mail or internet story is real)

www.TripAdvisor.com   (The most popular site for advice when you travel)

www.KidsHealth.org   (website for parents, kids, teenagers, educators)

www.narconon.org  (Useful information on different drugs from Narconon International)

http://pact360.org  (Police and Community Together website – Excellent site for drug education materials)

 

 

 

 

Press Releases

 

03/27/2014     Switzerland County Moves to Nixle Service

 

 

 

 

 

Community Events

sc-logoFor a complete list of community events please visit the Switzerland County Tourism Website at http://www.switzcotourism.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Internet Safety

 

Parent Internet Safety

 INTERNET SAFETY TIPS FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS

  •  Personal Information. Don’t give out personal information without your parents’ permission. This means you should not share your last name, home address, school name, or telephone number. Remember, just because someone asks for information about you does not mean you have to tell them anything about yourself!
  • Screen Name. When creating your screen name, do not include personal information like your last name or date of birth.
  • Passwords. Don’t share your password with anyone but your parents. When you use a public computer make sure you logout of the accounts you’ve accessed before leaving the terminal.
  • Photos. Don’t post photos or videos online without getting your parents’ permission.
  • Online Friends. Don’t agree to meet an online friend unless you have your parents’ permission. Unfortunately, sometimes people pretend to be people they aren’t. Remember that not everything you read online is true.
  • Online Ads. Don’t buy anything online without talking to your parents first. Some ads may try to trick you by offering free things or telling you that you have won something as a way of collecting your personal information.
  • Downloading. Talk to your parents before you open an email attachment or download software. Attachments sometimes contain viruses. Never open an attachment from someone you don’t know.
  • Bullying. Don’t send or respond to mean or insulting messages. Tell your parents if you receive one. If something happens online that makes you feel uncomfortable, talk to your parents or to a teacher at school.
  • Social Networking. Many social networking websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Second Life and MySpace) and blog hosting websites have minimum age requirements to signup. These requirements are there to protect you!
  • Research. Talk to your librarian, teacher or parent about safe and accurate websites for research. The public library offers lots of resources. If you use online information in a school project make sure you explain where you got the information.

 

 

INTERNET SAFETY TIPS FOR PARENTS

The computer should be in an open area, not in a child’s room. “You don’t want to spy on your kids or peer over their shoulder, but you want them to know you’re in the room.”

Assure your children that you know you can count on them to use the Internet responsibly. “Kids need to feel they’re trusted.”

Set clear expectations for your child, based on age and maturity. Does your child have a list of websites she needs to stick with when doing her research? Is she allowed to use a search engine to find appropriate sites? Is your child allowed to visit social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace? What sites is she allowed to visit just for fun? Write down the rules and place them next to the computer. Your child’s teacher should be able to advise you on which sites are appropriate for schoolwork and educational fun.

Use filtering software designed to help parents limit the websites children can access. Some programs have monitoring features that can tell you which sites your child visits and can even send you a message letting you know your child is online. (While such programs have come a long way since the early bug-ridden days, they are not a substitute for supervision and communication.)

Tell your child if you are using software to track her online activity. Remind him that you are not spying; you are keeping him safe. Tell him that protecting him is your job as a parent.

Stay involved with your child’s school by remaining in close contact with your child’s teachers and counselors. If trouble is brewing among students online, it probably started at school. Knowing what’s going on at school will increase the chances that you’ll hear about what’s happening online.

A growing concern with kids and the Internet is online bullying. Ask your child specific questions about whether he is being bullied at school or online. Talk about your own experiences in school with bullying, letting him know you know it goes on. Assure him that you won’t try to fix the problem, if it is happening, without talking to him first.

Parents often worry about their child being bullied, but they don’t readily consider that their child could be a bully. Talk to your child about why it is not OK to bully other children, online or in person. “Teach compassion and kindness.  From the get-go, they will know that being a bully…doesn’t feel good.”

Tell your child that people who introduce themselves on the Internet are often not who they say they are. Show your child how easy it is to assume another identity online. Don’t assume your child knows everything about the Internet. Kids are naturally trusting.

Instruct your child to never give out personal information online, including her full name, gender, age, school, address, or teams. Teach your child to be generic and anonymous on the Internet.

 

Stop Cyber Bullying

Should I Share

Elderly Safety

ElderlyThe Switzerland County Sheriff’s Office wants you to know that they care for the elderly in our community.  Our office is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  You can reach us at (812) 427-3636 or in the case of an emergency dial 911.  Each year people find themselves the victims of fraud and identity thefts.  We receive numerous reports in our office each year from victims.  The following tips are given to ensure that our citizens don’t become a victim of crime:

 

TELEMARKETING FRAUD

When you send someone money that you do not know, you increase your odds of becoming a victim of telemarketing.

Here are some signs that you may be a victim of fraud.

  • You must act “now” or the offer won’t be good.
  • You have won a free gift but have to pay a shipping or handling fee or “Taxes” to claim it.
  • You must send money, give your credit card or your bank account information to receive goods or to get a loved one out of jail.  These requests are rarely legit.

If you hear of any of these or “similar lines” from anyone, just say no thank you and hang up the telephone.  You do not have to be nice to these people.  HANG UP.

 

 IDENTITY THEFT

Identity theft occurs when someone assumes your identity to perform fraud or other criminal act.  Identity thieves can obtain your information from statements that you throw away in the trash.  They can also pose as electric, phone, or cable companies and ask for your information to “pay an overdue bill” or to “verify your account”.  NEVER give out your information over the phone.  No legitimate company will ever call and ask you for this type of information.  Once they have your information, they can apply for loans and credit cards in your name.  You get stuck with the bill and they get the benefits.

 

If you suspect that someone is trying to take advantage of you, kindly advise them that you will have to talk to your Sheriff to see if this is legitimate or not.  They will be very convincing.  DO NOT GIVE INTO THEIR CHARM.  Call me at (812) 427-3636 and leave a message.  I will call you back to discuss the situation.  I have never come across a legitimate offer in all my years with the department.  Please do not fall victim to these criminal activities.  Once you have given money or information to them, it is virtually impossible to get it back.

 

BUSINESS SCAMS

Business scams are where a “company” comes to your house and offers a Great Deal on re-paving your driveway, painting a roof, fixing a shed, etc…   They will give you a low price to perform the work and get a down payment to start the job.  They inform you that they are going to get materials and never come back.  You have lost your money and the “company information” they gave you is fictitious.  Or, they give you one price to do the job and perform the work.  When the invoice is given to you, you notice that the price has gone up dramatically.  They offer some excuse as to why the price went up and you pay the high price.  Most of these contractors are not from our area and could be from several states away.  Don’t be fooled by these crooks.  If you need some work done, hire locally with someone you can trust.  If you encounter this type of scam artist in our community, call us immediately at (812) 427-3636 and report it.  Try to remember the type of truck, company name and license plate if you can get it.

 

These are just a few of the many types of crimes affecting our community each and every day.  Don’t be fooled by these scams.  Call us so that we can direct you in how to proceed with a incident.

 DON’T FALL VICTIM FOR THESE TYPE OF SCAMS.

AARP-scam