For the first time in a dozen years, there’s a new sheriff in Stark County.
Eric Weisburn took office on Jan. 6, 2025 after defeating incumbent George T. Maier in the election last November.
Weisburn is not new to the sheriff's office. He worked there for 31 years, serving in various roles including corrections officer, road patrol deputy and detective, before retiring in 2022, he said.
The culture of the sheriff’s department needed to change, Weisburn said.
“When I first got hired here in 1991, the culture inside this building was very family oriented,” Weisburn said. “Towards the end of my career, I didn't feel that same way around here. It was a very toxic, it was a very confrontational, environment, and I knew it could be better.”
As sheriff, he wants to prioritize officer retention and promoting a better workplace culture, he said.
He’s noticed improvements in the two months since he started, he said.
“I know that's, like, a crazy bold statement to make, but let me tell you what, things are better,” Weisburn said. “The men and women that are walking the halls of this jail, the men and women that are out patrolling the streets, the men and women who are taking the phone calls from the desperate callers down in dispatch, they have enough stress in their life. They don't need to have to worry about what they're gonna get yelled at [about] when they come into the building.”
Jail renovation on the horizon
At the top of Weisburn’s priorities is an $80 to $85 million county jail renovation, he said.
The 60-year-old jail needs to be brought up to code, Weisburn said. Some of the infrastructure is so old that replacement parts are no longer manufactured, he said.
The jail does not meet state standards for lighting, square footage per person and recreation.
"We have failed for years," Weisburn said. "Not because we're not trying. It's because of the design of our building."
The jail is linear, meaning officers have to walk up and down the halls to monitor people who are incarcerated. The new design would allow them to observe several individuals at once, Weisburn said.
The linear-style jail is isolating, particularly for individuals with mental health concerns, he added.
“It was never built for today's needs,” Weisburn said. “With this new facility, we will meet and exceed all those standards so that we're in a much better place moving forward.”
The renovations will incorporate a pod-style housing unit and more space for individuals to meet with mental health providers, Weisburn added.
Weisburn acknowledged the project will be costly but said the county cannot afford to wait any longer.
“The right time to do it is now. The need is here, and again, you have to understand, we’re only going for the basic standards. We’re not going for the Taj Mahal here,” Weisburn added.
County commissioners do not plan to raise taxes to fund the project, Weisburn said. They’ve applied for state grants and will find out if they’ve been approved by the end of the month, he said.
Construction is set to begin this summer, he said.
Public safety priorities
In the two months since he began, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents have executed immigration raids across the country, including in Northeast Ohio.
Stark County sheriff’s deputies will not be directly involved in raids, Weisburn said. They may be present at raids if agents request their assistance, he said.
“We are not going to go ... into schools, and we are not going to go into houses and look for immigrants. That is not our job,” Weisburn said. “If that's what the federal government decides to do, we will be there as a support for the citizens of Stark County, to keep the peace. That’s where our role will come in.”
Another big issue in the county is online and mobile scams, Weisburn said. Residents are getting calls and texts from scammers asking for money and gift cards.
“Technology is always changing,” Weisburn said.
The sheriff’s department is trying to stay on top of evolving technology and use it to help serve the public, he said.
They’re planning to roll out a new feature on the department’s mobile app that will allow users to see reported crimes in their area, he said.
“We are going to be rolling out a, it's sort of a mapping thing on our social media app, where you'll be able to click it and you'll be able to see what crimes [have] occurred in that area that you're at,” he said.
Weisburn also wants to hire a deputy to focus on human trafficking, he said.
“I'm working on this, of getting an officer assigned full-time for a human trafficking, and getting one assigned full time on investigating child sex and physical abuse cases,” Weisburn said. “As sad as it is, there's a tremendous need for that in Stark County; in every county, quite honestly.”
He wants to help educate the public on different forms of trafficking, such as sex trafficking and labor trafficking, and what signs to look for, he added.
“It's happening right in front of us, and you and I may not even understand what we're looking at when we're seeing it, but it's modern-day slavery,” Weisburn said.
The sheriff’s department will start the recruitment process for that position soon, he said.
