Every day in Sedgwick County, the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office provide selfless service to those who live, work and visit our community. Our Dedication to Service page highlights remarkable acts by our outstanding staff.
Deputy Norton
Following the response to a fatality accident where multiple family members had passed, Deputy Norton noticed groceries in the wreck that were no longer salvageable. Motivated by nothing more than his compassion for those in need, Deputy Norton purchased and delivered groceries to the grieving family the day following the accident.
Deputy Beruman and Deputy Mark
Wichita PD officers were dispatched to a disturbance call that led to deputies being advised that an officer was down on scene. Deputy Mark and Deputy Berumen were some of the first deputies to arrive on scene and located the injured Wichita PD officer. Not wanting to wait for a “secure” scene for EMS to be able to render aid to the officer, officers decided to load the injured officer into a patrol car and drive him to the hospital. While Deputy Mark and Deputy Berumen were helping load the injured officer into the vehicle, the suspect at the scene continued to fire his rifle toward them. Deputy Mark immediately jumped into the vehicle and helped pull the injured officer into the vehicle while Deputy Berumen assisted from the outside of the vehicle. Deputy Mark jumped into the back of the patrol vehicle, applied tourniquets to each leg and attempted to apply bandages to the wound on the officer’s face. Deputy Mark reassured the injured officer during this, helping him to remain calm.
Deputy Dietrich and Deputy Williams
Detention Deputy Dietrich and Detention Deputy Williams came upon the scene of a house fire while returning to the detention facility from a separate assignment. They activated emergency equipment and quickly notified 911 Dispatch of the situation. Deputy Dietrich attempted to make contact with anyone located at the residence. Deputy Dietrich then notified neighbors about the situation due to the increasing flames, helping them evacuate from their homes. Deputy Williams and Deputy Dietrich then guided firefighters to the scene and assisted with providing a security perimeter until further law enforcement officers arrived on scene.
Deputy Tate and Deputy Farias
The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office has been developing a comprehensive wellness initiative to support agency employees and their family members. Wellness means different things to different people and is not “one size fits all. The program aims to encompass all aspects of wellness; mental, emotional, physical, social, financial, and spiritual.
Deputies Tate and Farias are natural leaders in all they do, especially in the area of wellness. They are both proactive in taking care of themselves and are always willing to help their fellow deputies. Deputy Tate is a member of the peer support team, being trained to talk with deputies who may be struggling in the aftermath of a critical incident or personal issues. He is familiar with available resources, is a great listener, and is trusted amongst his peers.
Deputies Tate and Farias are both certified Yoga for First Responder Instructors, which means they teach agency members and recruits the tools they need to not just survive a law enforcement career, but to thrive. Building resilience, processing stress, and enhancing performance are a few benefits of this program and crosses over into their work as defense tactics instructors. They are involved in developing and delivering defense tactics training to the academy recruits or ongoing training for certified law enforcement. They both reinforce the need for law enforcement professionals to understand fitness and mental health assessments.
Collectively, they instruct on topics to include: Fitness and Wellness, Exercise and Safety, Public Safety, and Nutrition.
They also instruct self-defense tactics for law enforcement and citizens, again encouraging everyone they contact to live their best life.