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| Madison County Sheriff James P. Sabin |
Gov. Ted Strickland has appointed Madison County Sheriff James P. Sabin to a second four-year term on the state’s Private Investigation and Security Services Commission.
The commission, an outgrowth of the Homeland Security Department, advises Ohio’s director of public safety on matters related to the regulation of private investigation and the business of security services.
The 12-member group meets bimonthly, or more frequently when needed, and includes representatives of public law enforcement agencies and private security corporations. Sabin is the representative for the Buckeye State Sheriffs Association.
“The commission was just formed four years ago, so I’ve been on it since the beginning. We’ve made headway on several issues,” Sabin said.
Among them is licensing. Companies that provide private security services must be licensed through the state. The commission wants to change the law so that individuals will be licensed through the state, not just through their employers. That way, Sabin said, individuals won’t have to repeat the licensing process when they change jobs. The commission also is working to be sure that legislation requires adequate training for officers in the industry.
While the commission’s concerns revolve around private companies, Sabin said it’s good that public law enforcement agencies are included in the legislative process.
“In many situations, the services those individuals perform is similar to what we do in law enforcement. So, it’s important for law enforcement to be able to express our views,” he said. “It’s important to maintain that communication and contact with those corporations.”
Other public agencies represented on Ohio’s Private Investigation and Security Services Commission include the Ohio Chiefs of Police and the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
Sabin has served as the sheriff of Madison County since 2005. He had previously served as the chief deputy in the Sheriff’s Department from 2001 to 2005 and as a lieutenant from 1992 to 2001. Sabin graduated from Hilliard High School in 1977.
