Wayne sheriff talks law enforcement, technology, more

Sheriff Tom Ballinger took to the podium at a recent Wooster Rotary Club meeting to discuss his approach to enforcing the law in Wayne County.

Ballinger, a U.S. Army veteran who led more than 200 combat missions in the Middle East and is a career law-enforcement officer, detailed some of the issues his office experiences daily. One of those issues is the ongoing drug problem.

“The drug epidemic has changed, and just because it is not in the news doesn’t mean it isn’t here,” he said. “You never hear about heroin anymore because it is all fentanyl. A big problem right now is counterfeit pills.”

In April 2022 the Drug Enforcement Administration sent a letter to federal, state and local law-enforcement partners warning of a nationwide spike in fentanyl-related mass overdose events.

The letter said, “Drug dealers sell their product as cocaine when it actually contains fentanyl or when drug dealers sell pills designed to appear nearly identical to legitimate prescriptions but are actually fake prescription pills containing fentanyl. This is creating a frightening nationwide trend where many overdose victims are dying after unknowingly ingesting fentanyl.”

Ballinger also outlined some new technology available to law enforcement to help keep officers and the public safe during dangerous encounters such as high-speed chases.

“There is a device that mounts on the front of a squad car,” he said. “A deputy (involved in a chase) can drive up to the car and activate the device. It will launch a GPS tracker onto the vehicle. That allows us to turn our lights off and back away from pursuing the car, and dispatch can track that vehicle.”

Ballinger emphasizes a balanced approach that combines proactive law enforcement with strong community partnerships, recognizing public trust is essential for effective policing. Through various partner providers and with the support of the Wayne County Commissioners, Ballinger is building a culture of professionalism and support. He has added a department chaplain, and while other offices face staffing shortages, that is not the case in Wayne County.

“I have 20 applications sitting on my desk right now from people who want to come here to work for the sheriff’s office as a deputy or corrections officer,” Ballinger said. “I think that is remarkable. We are in the process of hiring people, but we are doing it strategically based on the new jail timeline.”

Dan Starcher is the public communications coordinator for Wayne County.