Whitley Jailer-elect Lawson getting on-the-job training, now work at detention center

Above, Whitley County Jailer-Elect Brian Lawson works with current Jailer Ken Mobley Monday at the Whitley County Detention Center. Lawson has been hired to work at the jail, and will be employed there until he officially takes office in January.

It’s still five months until Whitley County Jailer Elect Brian Lawson takes office, but he is already at the jail working.

On Monday, Lawson transferred from his job as a sergeant at the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department to the Whitley County Detention Center. He will be working as a deputy jailer alongside current nine-year Jailer Ken Mobley until he takes office Jan. 1.

"I’m feeling blessed for the opportunity to be able to come up here and do it this way," Lawson said. "It gives me a great opportunity to get a lot of good ideas and be introduced to scenarios that are going to happen within the jail before I officially take office. It will expose me to the environment and reduce the culture shock. I feel like it is the best thing for the people of Whitley County."

Mobley admits that he had a bit of a shock when he took over as jailer. As a captain with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Mobley administered about 20 officers.

As jailer, he was dealing with 38 employees, 230 inmates and their families, attorneys, the courthouse and the Department of Corrections every day.

"It’s a big job. I have been fortunate to have good people around to help me do it all. I’ve had a good staff since I have been here," Mobley added.

Mobley is currently in the process of introducing Lawson to many of these people so he can begin forming a working relationship with them. Both Mobley and Lawson said they hope this will help make Lawson’s transition to the job seamless next year.

While Lawson has never worked at the Whitley County Detention Center before, he has some experience working in corrections. He worked at the Knox County Sheriff’s Department for about 10 months at a time when the sheriff’s department was running the jail.

"This is the most hands on experience that I have had," Lawson said. So far he loves the job and hasn’t been shocked by anything, he said.

Mobley recently came up with the idea of Lawson coming to work at the jail. He remembers taking over as jailer after the Department of Corrections closed the jail.

"I had a lot of help from Mike Patrick, who had been jailer. I was fortunate to have Mike help me," Mobley noted. "It was the hardest thing I had ever done of getting the hands on experience.

"Brian has a law enforcement background. I just felt like it would be a plus for him to come on in here and just go to work. He can help me and I can help him. It is just a win-win situation for the county I think."

Mobley said it is difficult for someone to come in off the street and run the jail, much more so than many people might think.

"It is unique. It is very different. I think this will give Brian an advantage. I think he will do an outstanding job," Mobley said. "I think come January he will just take right off. I feel confident I am leaving it in good hands."

After Mobley proposed the idea, Lawson said everyone including Whitley County Judge-Executive Pat White Jr. agreed it was a good idea and the best thing for the community.

"I’m thankful to the sheriff’s office for letting me come up here. They were part of it letting me go to the jail without having to give a two-week notice," Lawson said.

"I have miles and miles to learn from Ken. Six months probably isn’t long enough. I can’t learn everything he knows in six months but I am going to do my best to learn everything that I can."

Would help others

Mobley admits that it probably wouldn’t be possible in all situations for someone waiting to take office to come in and work alongside the person they are going to replace, but he thinks it is something that should be looked at if possible.

"I think it can help an incoming jailer like Brian. I think it will be an advantage for him and he is going to help me," Mobley said. "I am going to learn from him while he is here. He already has some excellent ideas, and we are going to implement those as soon as we can."

New ideas

One of the new ideas is setting up an observation room inside the booking area.

Mobley noted that during a drug round-up there might be 10 inmates, who arrive at the jail at one time.

Instead of just having those people standing in the booking area and wondering around, the observation room would have chairs fixed to the walls where the inmates could sit and be brought out one at a time for booking.

Lawson said that he thinks the observation room is a good idea for many reasons.

By keeping the inmates in the observation room for the first two hours they are incarcerated, it will enable booking officers to more closely monitor new inmates.

"I think that will really help us and reduce liability on our county and on our employees here. I think it will make their job easier instead of having to worry about booking 10 inmates in at once," Lawson said. "We will have a secure place where we can secure them and do it on a person by person basis."

Another idea Lawson has come up with is putting the bookkeeper and the court worker inside their own office so they don’t have to deal with the general public when they are trying to count money or processing bonds and things of that nature.

"I think we have a great bookkeeper here, Vicki Hammons. Having her in an office where she can focus on what she needs to do I think will really help," Lawson noted.

"He’s got some good ideas. I am excited to have him here," Mobley added.