With a growing department, job is split between co-chiefs
Meet Chief Deputy of Law Enforcement Mark Ralston and Chief Deputy of Civilian Operations Vance Lipscomb.
“Well, I decided that since our department’s growing, we have 110 employees, that I would do co-chiefs,” Monongalia County Sheriff Perry Palmer said.
Palmer said both men have always been willing to step up and are people he trusts to get things done right. Former Chief Deputy Al Kisner’s duties were divided among the two while also incorporating their previous jobs.
The former Capt. Ralston has been with the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office for 31 years. Former Lt. Vance Lipscomb started working in the county jail in 1991 and spent 13 years as a detective.
Co-chiefs should allow for things to run more efficiently in the department, Palmer said.
Another benefit is the two know each other’s jobs and can keep things going while one is on vacation.
Or say, if one of them is exposed to the virus currently infecting the globe.
One of Ralton’s duties is the scheduling of deputies and like any other workplace with frontline employees, there have been COVID-19 exposures, isolations, positive tests and quarantines.
Despite the challenges and lost manhours, everyone has been willing to help out, Ralston said.
Ralston also handles questions line supervisors may have and determines overtime authorization for the law enforcement division.
But of the department’s 110 employees, only 42 are deputies. The rest are civilian employees.
Those include court security officers at the county courthouse and justice center, process transport officers who take inmates to and from regional jail, process servers who serve civil papers and secretaries, Lipscomb said.
“So, it’s kind of full circle,” Libscomb said. “To come back and be in charge of our process transport people, too.”
Both men said they’re glad about their promotions and are ready to take on their new roles.
“It’s exciting for sure,” Libscomb said. “I’m excited to get this endeavor going and to keep everything in good shape like this department is.”
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