MACON, MO -- Macon County Sheriff Robert Dawson launched a new program.
"The Macon County Sheriff's Office Community Service Program" will provide offenders a positive alternative to jail.
A staff member interviews the offenders and determines his or her availability and skills. The program matches the offender's time and talents.
The new program is made available to any not for profit organization in the municipalities such as churches, charities, city, county or state agencies.
It has already hit the ground running with offenders working in Bevier, Callao and La Plata, Missouri.
Upcoming projects that the Service Work Crew are assisting in are at the Callao school. They will be repairing recent damage by vandals. Other projects include planting vegetable gardens with the fresh produce being donated to the local food pantry. Pulling weeds from the sandbox and flower garden at the La Plata City Park were also on the itinerary list. The Work Crew washed picnic tables, the stage and shelter at the La Plata City Park to help prepare for the Soybean Festival.
Sheriff Robert Dawson said, "They have a number of hours ordered by the court that they have to do. They will learn better work habits, maybe make some contacts, and hopefully some of them will turn it into a regular job."
The Work Crew has put in approximately one hundred hours so far. When this is computed at a minimum wage rate, that is about seven hundred and twenty five dollars worth of service to the communities.
Not for profit organizations who are seeking help from the Work Crew are encouraged to call the Macon County Sheriff's Office at 660-385-2062.
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