Putnam County Sheriff's Department unveils new app

Ever since taking over the reigns as Putnam County Sheriff, Jerrod Baugh and his department has utilized social media as a way of getting news and communications out to the general public. 

Baugh told The Putnam County Post that his department's use of social media is helping with transparency, as the department regularly posts information and statistics to its Facebook page among other outlets. 

"We have a human side of the department we get to show on there, but also get to share information. Anything we can do to open information and put out information is what we want," Baugh told The Putnam County Post. 

In addition to Facebook, the department recently launched a new app for residents of Putnam County to utilize. The new app features not only notifications, but the ability for residents to search for inmates, information on the jail and prisoner information, Sheriff sales, sex offender watch list, most wanted and the employment process. The app is now available for free in the App Store and Google Play by searching Putnam County Sheriff Indiana. 

Baugh said the app is user friendly and allows citizens the opportunity to have access at their fingertips immediately. 

One of the main things Baugh likes about the app is the ability to push notifications out to residents. 

The timing and ability to instantly send notifications out is what appealed to Baugh about the app. 

"The thing I like about the app is the timing. Eight of us at the jail can push out notifications at the jail any time we want. If something happens and we are looking for a youth that is missing, the process you go through at a national level to get that to come back on your phone is rather lengthy and has time restraints and restrictions. With our push notifications, if we are at the fair and we can't find a little kid in a red shirt and white shorts, I can type it out, hit send and five minutes later we found him in the Beef Barn. We can do that, and it is one of those things that will have a benefit. I hope we never have to use it, but the one time we have to and find a missing adult or child, how cool would that be. Also, everyone knows in inclement weather, we turn to social media to see what's closed and open, and now we can push that out," Baugh said. 

Baugh said he first learned of the app through neighboring counties. 

"Montgomery County had it and Hendricks County had it. I encouraged our staff to go look at it and see if it was something we could use. It is not our idea, but from other ideas. It gets better every year and every user comes up with something new," Baugh said. 

Baugh said he has received positive responses from several in the county about the app and he knows it is getting used, as the department has already received a request for additional patrols. 

In addition, Baugh said the app, which is free, did not cost taxpayers any money.