Divisions

The administration division serves the general day-to-day law enforcement and business operations of the sheriff’s office. Staff that make up this division include; the sheriff, chief deputy, records and all civilian employees.

The Sheriff's Office was first established in 1824 and moved into a new building in October of 1994.  The current facility houses the Administrative Offices, Communications Division, Road Patrol Division, Civil Division, Child Support Enforcement Investigators, Detective/Narcotics Bureau, and the County Jail.

There are specialized units within the Sheriff's Office to address the ever-changing needs of law enforcement which include a K-9 Unit, Dive Team, Hostage Negotiation and Special Response Teams.  All these groups are vital to providing Holmes County with a safe and protected community.

Sheriff Zimmerly and Chief Deputy Haun are firm believers in continuing education and training for their staff.  This knowledge maintains excellence and professionalism among the officers and better aids our community with current law enforcement techniques.

In February of 2017 your Holmes County Sheriff’s Office, was awarded “Full Compliance” Certification Status as an Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Agency. This certification is awarded by the Ohio Collaborative Community Police Advisory Board for meeting stringent assessments and policy standards adopted by the advisory board.

• Sheriff Timothy Zimmerly (bio)  |  EMAIL
• Chief Deputy Richard L. Haun Jr. (bio)  |  EMAIL
• Deputy Pam Akins  |  EMAIL
• Sergeant Maria Stryker, Records Clerk  |  EMAIL
• Scott Akins, CCW/Webchecks | EMAIL

The child support enforcement division works in close cooperation and under contract with the Holmes County Department of Job and Family Services Child Support Enforcement Agency.

It is the responsibility of Sergeant David Peebles and Deputy Robert Geoff McVicker to locate absent parents, enforce seek work orders and personally serve court and administrative papers on individuals.

Sgt. Schonauer and Deputy Lauriha can be reached by phone at (330)674-5937 or toll free at (866)674-5937, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

• Sergeant Chris Schonauer |  EMAIL
• Deputy Brian Lauriha | EMAIL

The civil division receives and processes all paperwork for service from each of the Holmes County court and foreign requests for service from jurisdiction outside of Holmes County. The division ensures all court papers are served and executed in a timely manner, per Ohio law.  The following are types of documents processed by the division:

• Summons
• Subpoenas
• Warrants
• Protection Orders
• Notices
• Executions on goods and chattels’
• Orders of sale on seized or forfeited property
• Sheriff Sales of Real Estate

Any questions regarding the service process can be addressed to Sergeant Roger Sprowl by phone at (330)674-1936 or by EMAIL, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Communications Division is known as the heart of the Sheriff's Office.  The Communications Center is the first responder to any emergency or concern the community may have and is in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

A partial list of duties a Communications Officers performs are:

• Receive all 911 Emergency calls
• Dispatch all fire and squad services for Holmes County
• Dispatch all deputies and most local police departments to calls of emergency or concern
• Answer all incoming phone calls to the Sheriff's Office.

Communications Officers are trained and certified in Medical Priority Dispatching; being able to provide basic medical advice to callers prior to Emergency Medical Service arrival.  This is a vital, often life-saving skill provided by our Communication Officers.

In March of 1994 Holmes County installed and went live with a state of the art 911 Emergency System.  With this addition, the system has decreased potential delays in response time and has better pin-pointed emergencies. 

Lieutenant Eric Troyer, EMAIL, supervises daily operations of the division and oversees the our communications personnel.

The Corrections Division also known as the Holmes County Jail, is charged with care, custody and control of adult male and female inmates.  Inmates housed in the facility may be sentenced or unsentenced by the court. 

The jail also is charged with the care, custody and control of inmates brought to the facility for housing from agencies outside the county. The current rate for out-of-county housing is $50.00 per day, which does not include medical costs.

The Corrections Division also includes those deputies assigned to oversee security and control of the Holmes County Courthouse, which houses all the courts for Holmes County. Courthouse Security Deputies are cross training to fill-in when corrections positions need filled. The deputies assigned to this detail are noted below.  

 Lt. Inez Strouse is the jail administrator, she oversees daily operations and those personnel assigned to the division, which consists of Six (6) Sergeants and 14 Deputies/Corrections Officers.  Lt. Strouse can be reached by phone at (330)674-5549, or by EMAIL. You may also direct any questions to the Sergeant on duty by phone at (330) 674-5549.

The Detective/Narcotics Bureau is comprised of four (4) seasoned officers who investigate felonious and other serious crimes.  They also assist Road Patrol Officers with investigations when needed. The bureau also includes drug enforcement detectives and members of the LEAD Task Force.

Detectives have been specially trained in these fields of investigation:

• Child abuse and sex crimes
• Voice Stress Analysis (Truth Verification)
• Crime scene investigation and evidence management
• Death and homicide investigation
• Drug enforcement and investigation
• Fire and arson investigation
• Internet child pornography
• Interview and interrogation
• Felony crimes of violence

Chief Deputy Richard Haun oversees daily operations and personnel assigned to the bureau. He may be reached by phone at (330) 674-1936 or by EMAIL.

Detectives assigned to the bureau are:

• Sergeant Jim Henry  |  EMAIL
• Sergeant Joe Mullet  |  EMAIL
• Detective Kyle Vaughn  |  EMAIL
• Evidence Manager Pam Akins  |  EMAIL

The Evidence/Property Division Hours of Operation are 8:00am–4:00pm; Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday.

You must schedule an appointment prior to picking up evidence. Twenty-four (24) hour notice is required and a valid ID is required for all appointments.  

The Evidence/Property Division phone number is (330) 674 - 1936.

You can also email questions about Evidence/Property release and set up appointments at pakins@holmescountysheriff.org.   Please reference your name, contact information, Holmes County Sheriff’s Office case number, and a description of the item(s) in question. 

About the Evidence/Property Division

The Evidence/Property Division stores evidence, safekeeping, and found property for the Holmes County Sheriff's Office. The Evidence/Property Manager is responsible for retrieving, securing and storing evidence/property and ensuring proper chain-of-custody in the event evidence is needed for court proceedings.

In addition, the Evidence/Property Room disposes of narcotics; illegal, unclaimed or unwanted weapons and other property; and endeavor to return found property to the rightful owner(s). Disposal methods include incineration, destruction and auction.

Evidence/Property may be released by the approval of the collecting officer/detective, the prosecuting attorney, or by court order. 

No evidence or property will be released which is prohibited by Ohio or Federal Law.

NOTE: Return of property is governed by Federal and State Law.

The Difference Between Property and Evidence

Evidence – Any evidence held by the Evidence Division will require a written release to be returned to the owner. This release must come from the Courts or Holmes County, officers and/or detectives. The owners of this property must contact the officer or Courts directly in order to get a written release. 

Found Property – Found property will be held for 90 days from the date it was received. After 90 days the property will be disposed or auctioned pursuant to Ohio Law.

Safekeeping Property – Any safekeeping property received from an officer will be held for 90 days. All safekeeping property will require a written release from either an officer or the Courts.  After 90 days the property will be destroyed or auctioned pursuant to Ohio Law.

How Do I Get My Property Back?

Safekeeping and Found Property:

Call the Property/Evidence Division to schedule an appointment. If ownership cannot be determined or a firearm is involved, you may be required to obtain a property release.

If you are a defendant and your case is pending:

Evidence/property may be released by the approval of the collecting officer, the prosecuting attorney, or by court order. 

Contact your attorney or assigned council to request a property release from the Prosecutor's Office. Once that release is obtained, contact the Evidence/ Property Division to schedule an appointment.

If you are a victim, or a defendant on a closed case:

You must file a claim for your property with the Evidence/Property Division in order to facilitate the return of property. Property Claim forms can be obtained at the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office or by filling out the form and submitting it during regular business hours.

Review and processing may take up to three (3) weeks. Once the release is obtained, contact the Evidence/Property Division to schedule an appointment. You may get the case number by contacting The Sheriff’s Office Records Division (330) 674-1936.

To pick up your property you must have a valid ID and the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office Case number for your case. Failure to claim your property in a timely manner (typically 60 days) may result in disposal of your property.

Directions

Holmes County Sheriff’s Office Evidence/Property Division is located in the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office Headquarters, located at 8105 Township Road 574, Holmesville, Ohio  44633 off of State Route 83.

Road Patrol Officers answer calls for service, give assistance to the public and provide routine patrol.

These Deputies:

Investigate complaints, civil & criminal incidents and traffic crashes

Serve civil and criminal process for all Holmes County Courts

Assist motorists and other agencies

Perform residential/business security checks

Transport prisoners

Follow-up on 9-1-1 hang-up calls

Perform traffic safety duties via warning(s) sand citation(s) to motorists using the roadways

Lt. Timothy Stryker oversees daily operations and personnel assigned to the division. He can be reached by phone at (330) 674-1936, or by EMAIL.