3 minute read
September 2022 Special Needs Living Akron/Canton
Community Impact Q&A
Officer Dennis Betz, Stark County Sheriff’s Office, Detective Bureau
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Officer Dennis Betz
Question: Where do you work currently? Answer: I am employed by the Stark County Sheriff’s Office in the Detective Bureau, and I am currently assigned to the Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
Q: What is your job title here? A: Detective
Q: How long have you been employed in your current job? A: Five years
Q: How long have you been employed in this industry? A: Eighteen years
Q: What were your previous jobs in the industry? A: I started out working in the jail division, transferred to the civil division(court), and then transferred to the operations division (road patrol) before being transferred to the investigation division
Q: What do your day-to-day job responsibilities include? A: I work along with six investigative agents employed by Stark DD to investigate incidents that are reported in regards to individuals Stark DD serves. If the incident that is reported is criminal or potentially criminal in nature, I work along with the Stark DD Investigative Agent assigned to the incident. I complete a sheriff’s office report on the investigation and file criminal charges if they are warranted.
Q: What part of your job are your most passionate about? A: Advocating for individuals with developmental disabilities, especially when they are victimized by someone due to them having disabilities.
Q: What is your favorite success story you have seen? A: I feel my favorite success story was for an individual named Sarah. Sarah had a relative who was managing her finances for her due to her disabilities preventing her from being able to do it. Sarah had mentioned to her Stark DD Service and Support Administrator
(SSA) some things about her finances that didn’t make sense. Sarah’s SSA reported the concerns, and an investigation was started. During the investigation, I was able to prove the family member had misused over $40,000 of Sarah’s money. The family member was spending most of Sarah’s money on himself instead of Sarah. As a result of the investigation, the family member was criminally charged, convicted, and Sarah was paid back all of the money that was taken from her. Sarah’s quality of life improved as a result, and she was very appreciative.
Q: Do you feel like you’re making a difference in your job and why? A: Yes. I have been personally thanked by individuals, and their families, for getting justice for the individual when they were victimized due to them having developmental disabilities.
Q: What is something you would change in your field for the better if you could? A: I would like to see all of the county Board of Developmental Disabilities in Ohio have a specialized position
