The Dodge County Fair is only a few days away and we once again are looking forward to another great year of entertainment and great food. Stop by the Rotary Booth and say hi to me and the other Rotarians as we once again raise money for the community at our food stand. From a law enforcement stand point, we are looking forward to the fair as well. It is important that we do all we can to ensure a safe atmosphere for all. This year the sheriff’s office is starting something new. We have asked the fair to provide to us names of all who are working so we can check those names against those on the national sex offender registry. While this process has proven difficult, we are doing the best we can to check as many names as possible and take appropriate actions to ensure the safety of children at the fair. While we can’t identify everyone at the fair that may pose a threat, we can certainly make efforts to check those that we can ahead of time and hopefully prevent problems before they begin. Secondly, we will be addressing issues related to underage drinking and impaired driving. Unfortunately during last year’s fair, a young man was tragically lost in a fatal motor vehicle crash near the fairgrounds. The driver was reported to be at the fair before the crash. Alcohol was a factor and his family is hoping that no other family will have to go through the pain and anguish they endured last year. Each year we work hard to enforce underage drinking and impaired driving laws for just this reason. It’s certainly not our intent to ruin anyone’s fun, but rather we are trying to prevent tragedy like last year from happening. It is our goal to ensure everyone is able to have a good time, but goes home safely to their family at the end of each day. Of course it goes without saying that if you decide to drink alcohol, don’t over indulge. Beverage servers, you are reminded that it is your responsibility to not over serve your patrons. Remember to designate a driver ahead of time or call a taxi. The price of a taxi is far less expensive than the cost of an OWI or a crash. For those of you who are under age, remember that the sheriff’s office will be checking IDs even if you are wearing a wristband. Finally, parents don’t forget that we will be at the fairgrounds making Kid ID cards for your children. Stop on by and pick one up for free. They can be a valuable tool in locating your child should they go missing as they contain a photo, name, birthdate, and physical descriptors of your child. It is everything that law enforcement needs to begin a search for a missing child. Don’t wait until something bad happens and wish you had one, but instead be prepared and hope you never need it. When at the fair this year, we ask that everyone take a roll in public safety. If you see something suspicious, know of someone who shouldn’t be there because of court order or probation status, or know of dangerous activity, please report it to a deputy at the sheriff’s booth under the grandstand or give our dispatchers a call at 920-386-3726 or 911 if an emergency. With your help, we can ensure that this year’s fair will once again be a safe and enjoyable event making Dodge County an even better place to live, work, and visit.
Dale J. Schmidt
Dodge County Sheriff
