From the Desk of Sheriff Abbott – 1/16/2026

• Our Victim Service Unit ended 2025 with 47 Callouts. With the callouts, they were able to help 295 people. VSU plays a huge role in our office in helping those in need and I cannot thank them enough for what they do.
• Our Office Assisted Decatur/Hamilton Fire Department and Decatur PD with a Grain Bin Incident in the Village of Decatur. There were numerous departments and agencies involved in the situation, and everyone worked well together with a positive outcome.
• Our Office had our Annual Federal Inspection, and we passed with No Issues. We must have this annually due to having a contract with the US Marshalls Office to house federal inmates.
• Uniform Response handled a Domestic Assault in Bangor Township. The suspect was lodged for domestic assault, assault by strangulation, and interfering with an electronic communication device (Took the phone so they couldn’t call for help).
• Uniform Response Assisted Mattawan PD with a Search Warrant Execution for a Suspect Pointing a Gun at an Individual. The suspect was located and taken into custody for the incident.
• Uniform Response handled an Assault Complaint in Bangor Township. The investigation found that no assault took place, but one to the individuals involved had a warrant for his arrest out of Allegan County. He was lodged on the warrant awaiting pickup from Allegan County.
• I was Invited to the Paw Paw/Lawton Mason Lodge #25 this past week. They once again made a large monetary donation to our Child Safety of America Inc. program. It’s a program we use for materials to educate our youth in the county to keep them safe. I truly enjoyed the evening and a huge thank you for donating to the program, it makes a difference in our community. I would also like to thank all the others that donate to the program as well.
• Dispatcher Deb Chapman was Presented a Stork Award at the 911 Advisory Board Meeting by Our Office. Deb processed a 911 call about a 25-year-old female in active labor. She calmly provided the critically established medical protocols for assisting in childbirth & determined the delivery was imminent. In approximately 1 ½ minutes from receiving the call, she successfully assisted in delivering a healthy baby boy. Deb stayed on the line to provide comfort and assurance until emergency medical personnel arrived on scene. Great Job.
• Supervisor Chad Kirby from Dispatch was Presented a Life Saving Award at the 911 Advisory Board Meeting by Our Office. Dispatch received multiple 911 calls coming in related to a house that was on fire in the Village of Decatur. Chad took one of the calls in which it was a disabled resident that was trapped in a bathroom in the house that was on fire. Chad calmly, efficiently, and professionally gathered the necessary information & instructed the caller what to do through emergency fire protocols. While on the phone with the caller, Chad directed via radio to the fire department on scene where she was at. Without Chads actions, the outcome of this house fire may have had a different outcome. Great Teamwork, great job by Chad.