Josh Campbell
Power County Sheriff
550 Gifford Street
American Falls, ID 83211
Phone: (208) 226-2311
Fax: (208) 226-7783
Connect with the Sheriff’s Office on Facebook.
OUR MISSION
The Mission of the Power County Sheriff’s Office is to partner with the community. To proactively prevent crime, enforce the law fairly and enhance the public’s trust through transparency and accountability.
OUR CREED
Our goals are simple,
We will always be candid and transparent.
We will always work as hard as we can for our citizens.
We will learn as much as we can to improve our ability to serve.
We will strive daily to make a positive difference in people’s lives.
CORE VALUES
Lead with Compassion,
Serve with humility and honor.
Courageously seek justice for ALL.
Prison Rape Elimination Act – PREA Auditors Final Summary Report 09/17 (PDF)
Power County Alerts!
Sign up to receive emergency alerts from Power County – a FREE service for our residents.
You can receive alerts by:
- Cell Phone via Text
- Voice Alerts to Your Home or Work Phone
Alerts include:
- Crime/Imminent Danger
- Evacuation Alert
- Hazardous Materials
- Local Area Emergency
- Missing Persons/Amber Alert
Power County Residents Can Now “Text to 911” in a Medical or Police Emergency
Texting during an emergency could be helpful if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, or if a voice call to 911 might otherwise be dangerous or impossible. But if you are able to make a voice call to 911, and if it is safe to do so, you should always make a voice call to 911. When you send a text message to 911, it is important to include an accurate address or location.
Sheriff’s Duties
The Sheriff is responsible (pursuant §31-2202, I.C.) to:
- Preserve the peace
- Arrest and take before the nearest magistrate for examination all persons who attempt to commit or who have committed a public offense, unless otherwise provided by law
- Prevent and suppress all affrays, breaches of the peace, riots and insurrections which may come to his knowledge
- Attend all courts, including magistrate’s division of the district court when ordered by a district judge, at their respective terms held within his county, and obey the lawful orders and directions of the courts
- Command the aid of as many male inhabitants of the county as he may think necessary in the execution of these duties
- Take charge of and keep the county jail and the prisoners therein
- Indorse upon all process and notices the year, month, day, hour and minute of reception, and issue therefore to the person delivering it, on payment of fees, a certificate showing the names of the parties, title of paper and time of reception
- Serve all process and notices in the manner prescribed by law
- Certify under his hand upon process or notices the manner and time of service, or, if he fails to make service, the reasons of his failure, and return the same without delay
- Perform other such duties as are required of him by law
- Keep a record of all stolen cars reported within his county, which record shall contain the name of the motor vehicle, the engine number thereof, a complete description of such vehicle and such other information as may aid in the identification of the stolen car. Such record shall be open to public inspection during office hours, and immediately upon receiving a report of a stolen car the sheriff shall prepare and forward a copy thereof to the director of the Idaho state police and he shall also notify the director of the Idaho state police of any and all cars recovered
- At the specific request of the governor or his designated agent prevent the unauthorized importation of wild omnivores or carnivores capable of causing injury to people or their property
- Work in his county with the Idaho state police in the following respects:
- Require all persons using the highways in the state to do so carefully, safely and with exercise of care for the persons, property and safety of others;
- Safeguard and protect the surface and other physical portions of the state highways;
- Enforce all of the laws of the state enacted for the identification, inspection and transportation of livestock and all laws of the state designed to prevent the theft of livestock;
- Regulate traffic on all highways and roads in the state; and respond to calls following wrecks and make investigations relative to thereto;
- Use whatever force is necessary to protect the public from wild or domestic omnivores or carnivores in a manner that is consistent with 50 C.F.R. section 17.84(i).
- Work in his county with the Idaho transportation department to give examinations for and sell drivers’ licenses and identification cards.
- 15. Expeditiously and promptly investigate all cases involving missing children when such cases are reported to him.
The Sheriff is required to serve and execute warrants of distraint (§63-1013, I.C.) and to seize and sell personal property upon which a property tax delinquency exists (§63-1012, I.C.) or for refusal to pay property tax (§63-1101, I.C.). The Sheriff is also responsible to return appropriate processes and notices to other counties (§31-2203, I.C.). The Sheriff is justified in executing all processes and orders that are regular on their face and issued by competent authority (§31-2213, I.C.), but must show, so long as he retains it, the process, with all papers attached, to any person interested therein (§31-2214, I.C.). The Sheriff is also court crier (§31-2215, I.C.). For further information refer to the IAC Resource Manual.
Home Patrols
When you’re away from home you can call and request a “house check” where we’ll check your property while you’re away. Call the Power County Sheriff’s Office at (208) 226-2311 to arrange a patrol.
When You’re Away from Home Never Give a Burglar an Even Break
A vacation, a weekend away from home, or a business trip should be a pleasant experience for you and your family. You can make each trip more enjoyable and carefree if you will take a few simple steps to reduce the possibility that your house will be burglarized or vandalized while you are gone. A vacant house – or one that appears to be vacant – is an appealing target to a burglar.
Below are 21 tips for protecting your home while you are away. Some of these things you should do one or two days before you leave; the rest can be done in a few minutes before you leave.
To help you remember, carry this list with you as you prepare to leave, and check off each item as you do it.
Returning to a home that has been broken into is an unpleasant finish to any trip. Never give a burglar an even break.
At Least One Day Before You Leave
- Notify your news carrier to discontinue newspaper deliveries.
- Notify the post office to hold your mail OR arrange with a neighbor to pick up and hold your mail.
- Make arrangements to have grass cut and watered while you are gone. Have someone check daily to remove throwaway papers and circulars from your doorway and yard.
- If you have valuables in the house, take them to your bank for storage in a safe deposit vault. Deposit extra cash in your bank account.
- Notify your sheriff’s office or local police station about your departure and return dates and give a name and telephone number of a neighbor or relative to notify in case of a burglary, fire or other emergency.
- Make sure any broken windows, door locks or window locks are repaired.
- Arrange with a neighbor or relative to watch your house and give them a key and let them know where or how you can be reached in an emergency. Write their telephone number down so you can check with them during your trip. Give them your car description and license number.
- Move all ladders, tools, lawn implements, garbage cans and yard furniture to your garage, basement or storage shed.
On the Day You Leave
- Unplug all electrical appliances such as radios, television sets, irons, washers, and fans to prevent possible damage from electrical storms.
- Set your thermostat so that your furnace or air conditioner will maintain a reasonable temperature – 80°F in summer and 55°F in winter. In winter make sure outside water taps are drained to prevent freezing.
- Close your fireplace flue to prevent birds or animals from entering.
- Make sure all gas appliances are in good order and that pilot lights are working.
- Turn off water to automatic washer to prevent possible damage from broken hose.
- Turn down the volume control on the bottom of your telephone so it cannot be heard from outside.
- Close all windows and sliding doors and lock. Make sure that “Charley Bar” is secure on sliding doors, and that all screens or storm windows are locked or fastened.
- Put window shades in normal daytime position, and make sure all main floor drapes, shades and curtains are arranged so that neighbors and police can see into your house.
- If you are leaving a car or other vehicle in your driveway, make sure it is locked.
- Set your electrical timer to turn some lights on and off during the evening hours.
- Lock your garage door.
- Make sure the last person out locks the door. Take a walk around the house. Check the doors and windows.
- If you haven’t already done so, leave your key with your neighbor or relative. Check to make sure you have their telephone number.
Have a safe and pleasant trip!
Related Links
Idaho Vine Service
VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) is an automated service that lets you track an offender’s custody status or the status of a court case over the phone or Internet. You can also register to be notified by phone and email if an offender is released, transferred, or escapes; or register to be notified by phone and email about changes in the status of a court event or court case.
For more information go to www.vinelink.com or call toll-free (866) 984-6343.
TTY* 1-866-847-1298.
Download the Idaho Vine Service brochure.
*A TTY is a special device that lets people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired use the telephone to communicate, by allowing them to type text messages. A TTY is required at both ends of the conversation in order to communicate. It can be used with both land lines and cell phones. Unlike text messaging, it is designed for synchronous conversation, like a text version of a phone call.
