Deputy Jared Kaler

 

Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox has a goal for our community and staff to know each other better and understand we are people who are here to help you and your family.

This month we are spotlighting Deputy Jared Kaler who has been with the LCSO since May 05, 2021 and came to Livingston County with experience at the Stone County Sheriff's Office.  Deputy Kaler also has advanced medical training and firefighting experience which is a tremendous asset for our emergency responses.

Jared is a very nice man who gives 110% effort for this office and our citizens.   Everyone enjoys working with Jared and we are extremely pleased he is on our TEAM for Livingston County. 

Here are some questions and answers with Deputy Kaler:

 

When and why did you get in Law Enforcement?

I started the Sheriff's Academy in 2016, graduating in 2017. I originally intended to get my POST license to become a Fire Investigator with the Missouri State Fire Marshals Office, however that did not work out for me and I chose to stay with a Sheriff's Office.

 

What caused you to lean toward being a deputy sheriff versus a municipal police officer or a state trooper?

I like the ability to pick and choose where to patrol. I have the ability to pick between several different towns or just go cruise gravel roads to see what is going on. Being a Deputy, the job never gets old, it's always something new. Also being a Deputy challenges you in many ways.  Sometimes you work by yourself, meaning you have the whole county you have to protect, State Troopers will back us up if requested but often times they have a delayed response seeing as they could be in a whole other area. Often times Police Officers have assistance relatively close. Being a Deputy for a smaller area you get to perform all aspects of the job, from Traffic, to working in the court, being an investigator or sometimes just simply being there for someone to talk too.

 

What is different about being a deputy sheriff as compared to a police officer or state trooper? 

Being a Deputy like I stated above has many different aspects. We have to be in the court, we run traffic as well as investigate crimes. Being a Deputy you never know when or where your back-up is coming from. Being in a rural area such as ours just getting from one side of the county can take nearly an hour. Generally our backup consists of State Troopers who have an even larger area to cover than us it can often take them an hour just to get to your location then have to find where the Deputy is requesting assistance.

 

Please tell us about what you do as a Deputy for the LCSO?

Traffic enforcement, take calls for service, on occasion will bailiff in the court room when I am needed. I assist in servicing court paper or legal paper work, I investigate illegal activity which occurs in the county, serve arrest warrants and assist other agencies on criminal investigations.

 

Would you please share some things which you have been really proud of during your career? 

I am just proud to serve the County and knowing people count on us to be their when they call.  

 

Can we learn some of the more difficult things you have experienced during your career?

Being any form of First Responder, as in Fire, Law Enforcement or EMS is not an easy task. It takes a special person, I have had a lot of friends who have tried to enter into each of these fields and were unable to succeed. The things we see and deal with frequently can take a toll on you emotionally and sometimes physically. For me however any time a child is involved is always difficult to deal with.

 

How do you deal with the excessive stress of the job?

Going to the gym, hiking and kayaking, spending time with my family

 

What are some fun things with your job?

I enjoy visiting with the public. I try to interact with kids and parents as well as anyone who just wants to talk. Being friendly and showing that not all Law Enforcement Officers are bad.

 

If you could do one thing to make things different in society, what would that be?

Get rid of the hate, there is so much crime that is influenced just because of hate.

 

Do you have any advice for anyone considering a law enforcement career?

Do your research, make sure your getting into it for the right reasons not just because you get a badge and a gun. There are a lot of behind the scene's things too take into account. You spend long hours away from friends and family, you will miss out on a lot. We show up on a person's worst day, rarely do we get called when their having a good day. You will see and do things most people never dream or think off. This is a very rewarding career but it also comes with some very depressing days as well. There are plenty of job opportunities and a lot of different areas to go into in Law Enforcement depending on what your interests are. So do your research.

 

What kind of goals do you have? 

At some point I would like to get a K9 program started again. I would like to train more in drug and narcotics as well as become a better alcohol enforcement officer. I am also in the process of getting my EMT license to better assist citizens having medical emergencies, or a possible motor vehicle accident where rescue units may have a delayed response compared to myself.

 

Regarding work related training, is there an area or class which really stands out as your favorite?  If so, can you share that with us and why?

For me so far I thoroughly enjoyed EVOC which is emergency vehicle operator course. It tested my limits as a defensive driver as well as enhanced my skills. It trains us for high speed driving such as in pursuit situations as well as maneuvering around obstacles while at high and low speeds.

 

Care to share the least favorite part of your job?

I would have to say covering the metal detector in the court house.

 

What are some of the biggest criminal issues you see in and around Livingston County?

Drugs and Theft which are usually related in some manner.

 

Does Livingston County and the State of Missouri have the resources available for both law enforcement and citizens?

No.

Please explain: Right now there are staffing issues across the board between Fire, Police and Law Enforcement. Generally if you get into any of these professions it's not for the money.  We are held to high regard and high standards but are drastically underpaid.

 

Any plans in your future you want to share?

Just to continue learning and serving the county to the best of my ability. With hopes of promoting through the ranks and retiring from this Sheriff's Office.

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We hope you enjoyed learning more about Deputy Kaler and the LCSO.  Jared is an awesome people person and someone you would enjoy talking with.  Thank you for reading this article and allowing us to serve this county and citizens.

 

Sheriff Steve Cox