By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The public is rarely more aware of law enforcement than when the squad pulls in behind them with red and blue lights flashing. But catching speeders is just one small part of being a law enforcement officer. For elected sheriffs, the office stretches even further. Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir explained one of the biggest roles of his office.
"People don't realize it, but the main job of the sheriff, originally, and still is, is a responsibility to the district court to serve their papers," he said. "We're out serving thousands of pieces of civil process every year. I've got two guys, that's all they do is run around and serve process full-time, and the deputies always have a handful of civil process."
Subpoenas for defendants, victims, and witnesses are all served by the sheriff's office, as are other summonses to court, lawsuits, and Protection from Abuse/Stalking Orders issued by the court. Along with law enforcement calls, the sheriff's office assists on fire and EMS calls.
"It's been my experience over the years that all bad calls usually start with an ambulance being paged out," Bellendir said.
As the county law enforcement agency, deputies routinely assist municipal law enforcement agencies, and the deputies may also work outside county lines to assist other agencies.
Then there are the big trips. On April 19, William Thomas Frederick was arrested in Red Bluff, Calif. Frederick is a suspect in an April 1 police pursuit in which shots allegedly were fired at Hoisington Police Department officers.
"He was arrested on our warrant, so we'll be flying up there to get him in the next week or two and bringing him back down here to Kansas, extraditing him out of the state of California," said Bellendir. "We're moving prisoners every day: to and from the state penitentiary, from our jail to medical facilities. We are constantly moving prisoners. I have two guys, that's all they do is move prisoners around."
Bellendir, however, enjoys the job. If reelected, he will become Barton County's longest-serving sheriff in history on Dec. 5, 2025.