Danville Sheriff Mike Mondul works to keep campaign promises

During his first six weeks in office, Sheriff Mike Mondul learned hard, fast and under fire as he fulfilled some campaign promises and worked on others, while keeping an eye focused on this year’s budget.

Mondul bolstered the ranks of the sheriff’s office, adding a major and captain in jail administration, a corporal in the civil services office and a corporal in accreditation. The new ranks help manage the divisions.

“You have new eyes looking at what’s going on,” Mondul said.

The office also shifted to e-mail so everyone receives the same message at the same time. Before, news would be posted to a bulletin board, which deputies checked.

Fulfilling campaign promises, working on others

During the campaign, Mondul promised to reduce the number of cable channels for inmates in the Danville City Jail. When he took office, Mondul cut more than 50 channels. Inmates can still get local channels, which carry news and major sporting events.

During his campaign, Mondul questioned the availability of crime shows on the jail’s TVs, which taught inmates how to be better criminals, he argued.

“TV can either be a very positive thing and educational tool, or it can be a negative,” Mondul said Thursday.

The former lieutenant for the Danville Police Department also promised more cooperation with local police. Danville police K-9 teams began random sweeps through the cell blocks, which help jailers identify contraband.

Mondul said he’s still working on a streamlined booking process, another campaign issue, which would get police officers back on the street, instead of filling out paperwork at the Danville City jail. Mondul hopes to have a new system in place by next year.

“It’s going to be a win-win for the sheriff’s office, police department,” Mondul said.

Interagency training, another campaign issue, hasn’t begun, but Mondul hopes to have the sheriff’s office and police department training together soon. The training will address jail riots and fires, which could require the help of Danville police.

Mondul also campaigned on his ability to bring a fresh look to the sheriff’s office. He said that his outsider status led to changes in courthouse security. Deputies began contraband sweeps around the courthouse, where they found pocket knives stashed in flower pots. He said people may forget that they have the knives on them, so the weapons are left outside before people go through the courthouse’s metal detectors.

Mondul said he’s also streamlining the service of court papers. Sometimes multiple subpoenas are issued for the same person and court date, which creates more work for deputies. Mondul is trying to cut the redundancy, though the benefits haven’t begun.

“I think that’s where my outside eyes are coming in,” Mondul said.

The budget

Mondul sent his first proposed budget to the Danville Budget Office in late January. The office’s director, Cynthia Thomasson, has worked with Mondul to get his proposal in shape.

Mondul said the office could face a $500,000 shortfall from funding depending on the state’s budget.

But the sheriff’s office has eight vacancies now, which could alleviate potential cuts. Mondul said he’s been working with state Sen. Robert Hurt, R-Chatham, and Delegate Danny Marshall, R-Danville, to address the needs of his office.

Tomsic is a staff writer for the Danville Register & Bee.