The Washoe County Sheriff's Office was born on December 26, 1861. Washoe County became one of Nevada's original nine counties that year. The county seat was Washoe City, a community that provided lumber to Virginia City during the Comstock Lode. Charles Smith became the first sheriff.
"Nevada wasn't even a state and I think that's kind of neat," Sheriff Darin Balaam, Washoe County said. "Most people don't realize is the sheriff's office was here when this was just a territory."
At the time, Washoe County had 543 residents, so the sheriff's office was a lot smaller.
"It was just a small jail cell with an office and then typically, it was somewhere near your courts, so you would arrest somebody, you would put them in their jail cell and then you would get with the judge and walk them over the the courthouse," Balaam said.
The Washoe County Sheriff's Office is turning 160 Years Old.
The county seat moved to Reno in 1869, after the Transcontinental Railroad came through town. The Washoe County Sheriff's Office has continually evolved ever since. In 1960, the jail moved into its new location on the back side of the Washoe County Courthouse. Its previous location was built in 1912, next door and was overcrowded. In 1988 and headquarters moved to Parr Blvd.
"We are the second-largest mental health facility and I think the sheriffs, if you would have told them that come some day, the sheriff would be one of the largest mental health holding facilities, I think they would have shaken their heads and not believed it," Balaam said.
Perhaps, technology is the biggest change from 1861 to 2021.
"It was a western town with horses and then over the last several decades, we've gone from patrol cars that may or may not have radios to where now we have video cameras in the cars, body-warn cameras," Balaam said.
The practices have also changed. Balaam says there is a large emphasis on things like human and sex trafficking and mental health. There are even mental health resources for staff within WCSO, including a full-time clinician.
"We hired a part-time psychologist, moving to a full-time psychologist for our employees because we know the stresses of the job and on the personal life," Balaam said. "That's something important for us."
Law enforcement, itself, is evolving. Arrests are still a part of the job but reducing recidivism and fighting addiction are also a part of the job.
"We know those people come into the criminal justice system," Balaam said. "We know they come into contact with us and so while they're either incarcerated or when we talk to them on the streets, how do we stop them so we break that cycle?"
More than 400 people volunteer for the WCSO. It has a crime lab that focuses on forensics. It has patrol cars, SWAT vehicles, boats and helicopters. RAVEN helps with firefighting efforts, among other things.
"Who would have thought that police would be fighting fires but RAVEN has been a tremendous asset as one of those quick responses that, hopefully, if they get out they can knock down those fires," Balaam said.
Washoe County's population has more than 486,000 residents and nearly 100 deputies. Last week, the Washoe County Board of Commissioners approved funding to hire 20 more deputies and two sergeants. That is a far cry from a few decades ago.
"Even in the 70s, when you talk to some of the deputies, there was maybe two on and they had the entire county, so you may be clear up in Cold Springs and your nearest patrol may be down in Washoe Valley," Balaam said.
Balaam is the 27th sheriff of Washoe County. He says the position comes with more responsibilities than it used to and that he has to wear a lot of different hats.
"Whether it's a social worker, a mentor, an addiction counselor to helping people with recidivism, so just not about keeping people safe but now it's about more of how do we make that long-term impact, so that they don't come back into the system," Balaam said.
Balaam followed his father, Dennis, into law enforcement. The elder Balaam was the 24th sheriff of Washoe County.
"Being able to fill and sit behind the same desk he did and fill that role and those shoes has been one of the greatest honors I've had besides working here," Balaam said. "For me, it's an honor, knowing that there was 26 sheriffs before me that laid such a great foundation but it's about the entire office."
Balaam says WCSO is still making strides to get more female deputies and increase diversity within the agency. He says it is important that the people who work there reflect the community.
