Sheriff schedules two town hall meetings

Tuolumne County Sheriff Jim Mele will hold town hall meetings in Sonora and Twain Harte this month to discuss issues on the minds of area residents.

Mele will also address topics such as the Sheriff’s Office budget, crime, and the state’s transfer to counties of low-risk prisoners.

Mele will be at the Sonora Opera Hall at 6 p.m. Feb. 16 and the American Legion Hall in Twain Harte at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 22. The Sheriff’s Office is encouraging the public to participate.
  

This is the fifth year Mele has hosted town hall meetings around the county.

"They’ve been really helpful with communication between the public and law enforcement,” he said.

The Sheriff’s Office launched an online crime-tracking system after Twain Harte residents concerned about a spree of vacation home burglaries voiced their desire to have a way of tracking crime in their area at a town hall meeting last year, Mele said.

Mele said he anticipates the state’s prison realignment will be a major talking point at the upcoming meetings.

“Basically, we just want to let people know what is going on and what things have changed. An informed public is the best way to go,” he said.

Contact Alex MacLean at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 588-4530.