Richland County Sheriff's Office

05/12/2026

⚠️ SCAM ALERT ⚠️

The Richland County Sheriff’s Office would like to make the public aware of a scam that has been circulating in our area.

Scammers are targeting family members of individuals who have recently been arrested. The caller tells the victim that money must be sent — sometimes as much as $1,175 — in order for their family member to be released from jail on an ankle monitor or placed on pre-trial release.

Victims are also being told they will receive the money back, minus a $75 fee.

These calls are commonly coming from a “No Caller ID” number.

If you receive a call similar to this:
❌ Do NOT send money
❌ Do NOT provide personal information
❌ Hang up immediately

If you believe you have been targeted by this scam, please contact the Richland County Sheriff’s Office.

Please share this post to help spread awareness and protect others in our community

03/10/2026

The second annual Guns & Hoses basketball game will be here before you know it. Will law enforcement take home the Braggin' Rights trophy back-to-back? Will Richland County's second responders take second place once again? Stop by the Richland County Sheriff's Office to get your tickets so you don't miss out. Make sure you visit https://www.tigerpawprints.net/guns-and-hoses to get your fan gear for the game. Make sure to pick either Orange or Royal if you want to support last year's winners, or go with Red if you want to cheer for the underdogs. All proceeds go to the Olney Rebels, so place your order now to make sure you get your shirts before the game!

Guns and Hoses Join the Guns…and the Hoses…as we support the Olney Rebels Special Olympics! Choose Red to support the Hoses, and Royal to support the Guns…or choose orange to support the Olney Rebels! Then, join us on March 28 as we watch all three battle it out on the basketball court to rais...

02/27/2026

🚨 Public Safety Notice from the Richland County Sheriff’s Office 🚨

The Richland County Sheriff’s Office would like to make parents and community members aware of a dangerous social media trend that has been circulating among youth in our area known as the “Benadryl Challenge.”

This challenge involves intentionally taking excessive amounts of Benadryl (diphenhydramine) in an attempt to cause hallucinations. This behavior is extremely dangerous and can lead to serious medical complications including seizures, heart problems, organ damage, and even death.

We encourage parents and guardians to:
• Monitor their child’s social media activity and online content
• Have open conversations about the dangers of participating in online challenges
• Secure and monitor medications in the home
• Contact a medical professional immediately if you suspect misuse

Even if your child is not active on social media, peer influence can still play a role. Awareness and communication are key.

If you have concerns or information related to this trend, please contact either of our School Resource Officers, Deputy Ameter or Deputy Bunting or a school counselor in your students school.

Together, we can help keep our children safe.

02/05/2026

01/25/2026

The Richland County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind citizens that state highways are currently snow covered and drifted in areas.

❄️ Most county roads are completely impassable.
🌬️ Please be aware that drifting snow can quickly worsen road conditions and make travel extremely dangerous.

✅ Only essential travel is advised at this time.

⚠️ If you become stranded, please be advised it will take emergency services much longer to respond to your location due to road conditions and limited access.

Please stay safe, stay warm, and avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.

12/23/2025

The Richland County Sheriff’s office has received two calls from local businesses reporting an officer Fritz who states he is a member of The Richland County Sheriffs office calling for employees information or telling them that they have warrants with cash bonds.

The Richland County Sheriff’s Office does not have an Officer Fritz, and we would not call to collect personal information of any employees or call to inform anyone of an active arrest warrant, or request money over the phone.

12/17/2025

The Richland County Sheriff’s Office would like to make the public aware of a scam that has been circulating our area.

Residents are reporting receiving calls from a subject claiming to be from Medicare. The caller will ask if they have received their new Medicare card yet, and if not, they are asking for the Old Medicare card number to try to trace why the new card has not been received.

Medicare will not call for this information. If you have any questions about the status of a Medicare card please call Medicare customer service directly.

12/10/2025

The SRO coat and toy drive ends this Friday!!

Gently used or new coats and toys can be dropped off at any RCCU school.

SRO Ameter and SRO Bunting will be at RCES on December 16 & December 17 from 6-8PM to distribute these items to families! You do not need to sign up before hand or fill anything out to be able to attend this event.

Thank you to everyone that has already brought in items! 🎄

12/07/2025

Great work by Detective Laws!

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdil/pr/sex-offender-sentenced-35-years-federal-prison-new-crimes-against-children?fbclid=IwZnRzaAOitARleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe7ewTpyvIUCt0Ye5yHwlpu6mHuCaMvR8tvJvZswF88Ef_pVs2und-la5DjWM_aem_Lt0SeQOIyhPJb5A0oHDxlwk

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

12/02/2025

Thank you to Chilly Willy’s employees for donating their tips to our Shop with a hometown hero program! It was appreciated so much!

11/28/2025

Public Information Notice – Juvenile Vehicle Theft Incident & Community Reminder

Earlier today, officers responded to a report of a stolen vehicle. The suspect was located later and taken into custody. Because the individual involved is a juvenile, Illinois law prohibits us from releasing identifying information or specific personal details.

Under the Illinois Juvenile Justice System, law enforcement is required to follow strict guidelines on how minors can be detained.
After the juvenile was processed, the circumstances of the case did not meet the legal criteria for secure detention, and the individual was released to a parent/guardian as required by state statute.

It is important to understand:
• Juvenile offenders cannot be held in the same manner as adult offenders.
• Illinois law requires officers to use the least restrictive alternative, and detention is only allowed for certain qualifying offenses or situations.
• Release does not mean the case is closed. Charges and consequences may still proceed through the juvenile court system, probation, or State’s Attorney review.

We want to take this opportunity to remind the public to secure all vehicles, especially this evening:
• Lock vehicle doors
• Remove keys/key fobs
• Do not leave vehicles running unattended
• Remove valuables from sight

Crimes of opportunity, particularly involving unlocked vehicles, can occur quickly and repeatedly. Taking a few extra seconds to secure your vehicle can greatly reduce the risk.

Our department will continue to investigate these incidents, work with parents and the juvenile justice system, and remain proactive in preventing similar occurrences. We appreciate the community’s understanding as we follow the laws governing juvenile cases while keeping public safety our top pri