By Drew Terhall

Dailyadvocate.com

GREENVILLE — The Darke County Commissioners approved the continuation of outside help for the Darke County Prosecuting Attorney.

Darke County Prosecutor Kelly Ormsby and the Board of County Commissioners of Darke County asked to continue employing Anthony E. Kendell, Miami County Prosecuting Attorney, or any of his assistant prosecuting attorneys he may designate to assist the county in the evaluation and potential prosecution of Christian Idle.

Kendell has already been appointed to handle an earlier case concerning Idle. Back in early August 2023, Idle faced charges after allegedly assaulting a child. Idle was an officer with the Ansonia Police Department at the time, but resigned later that month.

Idle has been cited by the Darke County Sheriff’s Office with three misdemeanors involving allegations of misconduct of an emergency and criminal mischief occurring around Jan. 17, 2024.

Kendell is being brought in to ensure there is no bias being involved in this matter.

“This application for legal counsel is a continuation on a previous case,” Commissioner Matt Aultman said. “We have additional items that they need to take care of. It’s asking for further employment by Miami County Prosecutors office.”

Aultman, along with commissioners Larry Holmes and Marshall Combs, also approved a resolution to establish the Darke County 9-1-1 Program Review committee.

In 2017, the 9-1-1 planning committee voted to go to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) under the supervision of the Darke County Sheriff.

After the Darke County Prosecutor reviewed the Ohio Revised Code 128.06, they determined the best course of action is to have the Board of Darke County Commissioners make up the 9-1-1 Program committee since they fund the single county PSAP.

“The sheriff has come into our office a week or two ago. Underneath some new state rules and interpretations from the prosecutors office, with his prosecutors opinion, we have to establish a Darke County 9-1-1 Program Review committee,” Aultman said. “We went to a one, single piece PSAP in 2017, which is a public safety answering point. This here establishes what they recommend, both the sheriff and the prosecutor.”

The review committee should meet at least once annually to maintain or amend a final plan described under the new O.R.C section. The review committee will meet no later than the first day of March each year with the sheriff and 9-1-1 Coordinator to finalize a 9-1-1 plan along with a report detailing revenue and expenditures to operate the system.

The Darke County Board of Commissioners holds a regular session every Tuesday and Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at 520 South Broadway, Greenville, Ohio 45331. For more information, contact the commissioners’ office at 937-547-7370.

Contact Drew Terhall at [email protected]