In comparison to this time last year, the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office has answered about 90 more calls to date than the previous year.

Fairfield County Council received an update on how the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office is doing so far this year compared to last year.

During last Monday night’s council meeting, Chief Deputy Keith Lewis said the Sheriff's Office has answered 1,732 calls this year. Last year, they received 1,635 calls.

However, this year, the number of arrest warrants for the office is 95 less than last year. Lewis said so far, they have received 257 arrest warrants, compared to 352 in 2009.

“I think the biggest difference there is the law changed to where citizens can’t just go to the Magistrate Office and sign a warrant on somebody without it first being investigated by law enforcement,” Lewis said. “Law enforcement has to sign arrest warrants.”

Also this year, Lewis said, there have not been any homicides in the county.

A majority of their calls have been assaults, vandalism and larceny.

The county experienced a series of break-ins from September to February. The suspect, Ivory Lavonda Chappell, 26, was apprehended in North Carolina by the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office earlier this month. Chappell is believed to be responsible for at least 15 house break-ins in the county.

“Long story short, he had a girlfriend that worked in Columbia, lived in Charlotte. He would come down with her during the day while she was working and he would joyride through surrounding counties. He is responsible for break-ins all the way from North Carolina to Calhoun County,” Lewis said.

Lewis also told council that the Sheriff's Office has applied for several grants.

“We got enough money to start putting laptop computers in patrol cars where the officers can actually do their reports from the patrol cars,” Lewis said.

They have applied for a grant through Homeland Security for a mapping system with the fire department and EMS. The system will show dispatchers a map of the county and where deputies, firemen and EMS are located at all times.

Lewis also reported that the Sheriff's Office will host its fifth Kids Camp June 21-25. About 40-45 youth participate in the event, each year Lewis said. Campers participate in games and activities that teach them about law enforcement.

To be considered, an application has to be completed through the Sheriff's Office.