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Chattooga County Sheriff: Sharp Increase in Crime

April 6th, 2020 – 11:40 AM

WZQZ Radio –

(via WZQZ radio) Sheriff deputies have been busy over the past several days in Chattooga County.  The county’s sheriff’s department worked with the Town of Trion in a high-speed chase that ended in a suicide last week.  Then there was a home invasion in Lyerly that left one man stabbed and in the hospital.  Saturday morning, Sheriff Mark Schrader and investigators responded to a report of a shooting on Dry Valley Road.   Sheriff Schrader told WZQZ News that he isn’t sure what is causing such an uptick in out of the ordinary crime, but suspects that people are on edge due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The sheriff said that his deputies are trying to adhere to protocol and practice social distancing as much as possible – not the easiest thing to do in law enforcement.  Sheriff’s Office staff have been asked to avoid shaking hands, stand about six feet away from citizens that they are meeting or talking with. Also, if you request a deputy for a report or other reason the sheriff asks that you please step outside, if feasible, and meet with them. Deputies have been authorized to handle certain reports via telephone. Sheriff Schrader says, ” These precautionary measures will not hinder or damper a criminal investigation.”

Schrader added, “Since we have a large population of individuals housed in a confined space, we will be taking precautionary measures at the jail as well. The one that will most likely affect family of incarcerated persons are revised visitation schedules. Also, services where outside individuals are allowed to meet with inmates i.e. church services and drug counseling services are suspended for now.”