Sworn in on an interim basis July 29, Sheriff Brian Asbell was selected by the Peoria County Board to officially assume the duties of sheriff. A 23-year veteran of the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department,  Asbell will serve until the end of the sheriff’s term on Nov. 30, 2018, and has plans to seek election to another term.

Following a brief term as interim sheriff, former Peoria County jail superintendent Brian Asbell was appointed to the position by the Peoria County Board Aug. 10.

A 23-year veteran of the sheriff’s department, Asbell began serving as interim sheriff July 29 in place of Michael McCoy, who stepped down after 15 years as sheriff. McCoy is now the City of Washington police chief, a position he assumed July 29.

Until Aug. 10, Asbell wore two badges; that of sheriff and that of his former station as jail superintendent. It was, according to Asbell, quite a juggling act.

“I didn’t want to fill the superintendent position until the county board made its decision, and it was really tough doing both jobs,” Asbell said. “I thought I had a good idea of what the role of the sheriff was until I actually sat in the seat.”

As sheriff, he said, he’s managing “on a global level”, but Asbell has experience working in every department there, which is why he selected Ronda Guyton for jail superintendent.

A 24-year department veteran, Guyton is the first African-American female to serve in that position. She holds a bachelor of arts in criminal justice from the University of Illinois at Springfield.

“Ronda’s resume speaks for her, and we also have a very similar background,” Asbell said. “We’re both Army veterans. She started (in Peoria County) in 1993, I started in 1994. She worked in the jail, like I did, she went to patrol, then I went there, she went to investigations, and so on …”

Asbell is passionate about the jail, and said Guyton shares the same vision and goals as he with regard to reducing recidivism by providing inmates with resources that improve their lives and give them a “sense of self-worth.”

“When we release inmates into population, we’re trying to do more than just kick them out the door,” he said. “It’s providing continuity of care, follow-up appointments, addiction counseling, housing. Ronda and I are like-minded in this way.”

Through a partnership with Heartland Community Health Clinic, uninsured inmates are given the chance to apply for Medicaid with the help of a clinic navigator. This ensures inmates the opportunity to continue counseling and treatment upon release.

“The jail has become one of the largest downstate mental health facilities,” Asbell said. “The majority of these individuals have mental health issues, for some that’s depression for others it can be psychotic episodes.”

On Aug. 14 Peoria County Sheriff’s Deputy Ronda Guyton was sworn in by Sheriff Brian Asbell as captain of the sheriff’s office. Guyton is a 24-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, and the first African-American female to serve as captain.

The county employs one full-time, and another part-time, mental health professional. A psychiatrist also offers four hours per week of care. But mental health issues are hand-in-hand with another problem; addiction.

In July, 59 people were incarcerated who needed withdrawal medication for either alcohol, “benzos”, such as Ativan, Xanax and Klonopin, and opioids. Of the 59 arrests, he said 29 were for opiates.

“The opiate epidemic scares me. The heroin is so addictive, with one hit people can be instantly addicted,” Asbell said of the crisis. “People with mental health problems often self-medicate and this is a big problem.”

Asbell helped implement the Jobs Partnership program at the jail; a 12-week Bible-based study to help inmates set goals, create budgets,improve their personal lives, learn about workplace performance.

“You’d be amazed at how many people don’t know how to fill out a job application or meet and greet managers for an interview,” he said. “Inmates can learn these skills it through Jobs Partnership, which gives them goals and helps their self-esteem.”

Since 2014, the county typically houses around 360 female and male inmates. Before that, the population averaged between 550-600 prisoners. It costs $65 per day to house each inmate. For taxpayers, a 200-inmate reduction saves $13,000 per day.

Asbell is preparing to submit the department’s 2018 for county approval, and said he’s forecasting with an eye on sales tax revenues, which have decreased to the point of threatening the county’s general fund.

In March, the county reduced its workforce by 50 employees, including some within the sheriff’s department. Many opted for voluntary retirement and most had accrued vacation and personal time.

“Our budget was already reduced by $637,000 this year,” he said. “With the voluntary retirements, the hit was more than $1 million for us.”

He said the department “rode the storm out” and continues to take a conservative approach when forecasting its budget. Asbell will serve until the end of the sheriff’s term on Nov. 30, 2018, and has plans to seek election to another term.

—-  Pair of veterans now leading Peoria’s Sheriff Office   —–