Starke County Sheriff's Office

Call Directions Website

Starke County Sheriff's Office This page is not monitored 24/7. It should not be used to report crimes. Call 911 if you have an emergency.

With heavy hearts, Sheriff Jack Rosa and the entire Starke County Sheriff’s Office share the passing of K9 Reaper after ...
10/31/2026

With heavy hearts, Sheriff Jack Rosa and the entire Starke County Sheriff’s Office share the passing of K9 Reaper after a brief but severe battle with cancer.

Reaper went from a rescue dog to a highly trained and trusted member of our department.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his partner, Deputy Kolin Mann, and his family during this difficult time.

Rest easy, Reaper. Thank you for your service to Starke County. 💙🐾

Today, take a moment to thank a first responder.No one will ever truly understand the impact this job has on those who a...
10/28/2026

Today, take a moment to thank a first responder.

No one will ever truly understand the impact this job has on those who answer the call. They show up during some of the worst moments of other people’s lives, do what needs to be done, and then move on to the next call. But just because they move on doesn’t mean they leave that call behind. Some calls stay with them long after the shift ends, and some they will carry with them forever.

Behind every uniform is a person, a family, and a life outside of the job. They sacrifice more than most people will ever see, and they often carry more than they let on.

Today, we recognize and appreciate all of our first responders, including law enforcement, firefighters, corrections officers, dispatchers, EMS, and coroners. Whether they are answering the phone, responding to the scene, caring for the injured, protecting others, or helping families through unimaginable loss, every role matters.

To all first responders in our community and across the nation, thank you for showing up, answering the call, and continuing to serve even when the weight of the job is heavy. We appreciate you today and every day.

10/25/2026

🚨 SCAM AWARENESS REMINDER 🚨

We are reposting this reminder as our agency and surrounding agencies are seeing an increase in scam-related calls.

Please remember that law enforcement agencies will not call you and demand money over the phone. Scammers may pretend to be law enforcement or claim you have a warrant, owe money, or need to make a payment to avoid being arrested.

Do not provide personal information, banking information, or account numbers to anyone you cannot verify. Never purchase gift cards or provide gift card numbers as a form of payment.

If you are trying to bond someone out of the Starke County Jail, you must come in person to our lobby and use the designated machine. This process is never completed over the phone.

If you receive a suspicious call, do not give out information or send money.

Please share this post to help spread awareness and protect others in our community from becoming victims of these scams!

On behalf of Sheriff Jack Rosa and myself, we are truly humbled by the turnout for today’s Trunk or Treat and Car Show! ...
10/24/2026

On behalf of Sheriff Jack Rosa and myself, we are truly humbled by the turnout for today’s Trunk or Treat and Car Show! After hosting this event for the past few years, it’s safe to say this was our best year yet. Seeing so many people come together to make this event special means more than we can express.

First, a huge thank you to all of our employees who helped organize and put this event together. To our employees, their families, Starke County departments, community members, tow companies, and community organizations who hosted trunks and handed out candy, thank you for taking the time to be part of it. This event would not be what it is without all of you.

A special thank you to Knox Fire Department, Washington Township Fire Department, and Starke County EMS. Not only was your presence appreciated, but you all came through in a big way to help coordinate the landing of Lutheran Air. Speaking of Lutheran Air, how amazing was it to watch the helicopter land and see the excitement on the kids’ faces as they got to experience it up close? Thank you for taking time out of your day to fly out and be part of our event!

Thank you to Bailey’s Discount Center for the candy donations and BIGGBY Coffee for providing the coffee and hot chocolate setup. Your generosity helped make the day even more special!

Our car show also wouldn’t have been the success it was without the help of Street Freaks. Thank you for helping organize the show and bringing in such a great group of vehicles. Congratulations to our winners:

🏆 Kids’ Choice Award: Carrie and Lyndon Block

🏆 Sheriff’s Choice Award: Jerry Fletcher

We appreciate every car show participant who came out, showed off their vehicles, and helped make the day fun for the kids by passing out candy.

Lastly, and most importantly, thank you to our community for showing up, bringing your kids, and supporting our events. Seeing everyone come together, making memories, and giving the kids such a fun experience is exactly why we do this.

It takes a community to make an event like this happen, and Starke County showed up in a big way today. We are incredibly grateful for each and every one of you who played a part in making this our best year yet!

Thank you all!

Becca Hardel
911 Director

Today’s the big day! We’re excited to welcome everyone out for our Trunk or Treat and Car Show!A few reminders before yo...
10/24/2026

Today’s the big day! We’re excited to welcome everyone out for our Trunk or Treat and Car Show!

A few reminders before you head our way:

• **Parking:** Please use the gravel entrance just west of 550 E and park along the tree line. Parking is self-park, so please use caution and watch for pedestrians.

• **Car Show Participants:** Please check in with Dave when you arrive.

• **Trunk or Treat Participants:** Becca will direct you to your parking spot. Please arrive before 2 PM so everyone is ready to go when Trunk or Treat begins!

• **Kids’ Choice Award:** Each child participating in Trunk or Treat will receive a ticket to vote for their favorite car in the car show. Give your ticket to the car owner you think deserves to win! The car receiving the most votes from the kids will take home the Kids’ Choice Award!

• **Safety Resources:** Child fingerprint kits and S*x and Violent Offender Registry information flyers will be available at the entrance.

We can’t wait to see everyone this afternoon! Thank you to everyone helping make this event possible. Let’s make it a great day for our community!

🎃🚔 REMINDER: Starke County Sheriff’s Office Annual Trunk or Treat Fall Festival & Car Show! 🚗🍬We’re excited to welcome e...
10/21/2026

🎃🚔 REMINDER: Starke County Sheriff’s Office Annual Trunk or Treat Fall Festival & Car Show! 🚗🍬

We’re excited to welcome everyone to our annual Trunk or Treat Fall Festival, featuring a car show this year! Bring the kiddos and join us for an afternoon of family fun!

📅 Saturday, October 24, 2026
⏰ 2:00–4:00 PM CDT
📍 Starke County Sheriff’s Office

🍬 Want to host a trunk? There’s still time to sign up! We’re expecting a large crowd of kids, and we’d love to have you join the fun!

🚗 Car Show Participants:

*Setup begins at 12:00 PM CDT and continues until the event starts.
*Please reach out ahead of time if you’d like to coordinate spacing.
*We’ll also have volunteers available to help with check-in.
*Awards include the Sheriff’s Choice Award and the Kids’ Choice Award!

All Trunk or Treat participants will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite vehicles.

We highly encourage car show participants to decorate their trunks and pass out candy to the kids! 🍭

🚁 Important Traffic & Parking Information:
The main paved entrance will be closed to vehicle traffic to allow for the safe landing of a Lutheran Air helicopter and to keep vehicles away from our Trunk or Treaters.

🅿️ Guest parking will be available at the east gravel drive, in the grass near the tree line.

☕ Need a little extra energy to keep up with the kiddos? Biggby Coffee will be joining us to provide some caffeine for parents and participants!

We’re looking forward to a fantastic afternoon filled with costumes, candy, amazing vehicles, and community fun! ❤️

Share this post, spread the word, and come celebrate with us! 🎃🚔🍬

10/21/2026

Joint Investigation Leads to Arrest of Wanted S*x Offender

A joint investigation by the Starke County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Task Force has resulted in the apprehension of Brandyn Garbison, who was wanted on an outstanding warrant for failure to register as a s*x offender.

Through coordinated investigative efforts, authorities located Garbison at a gas station in Riverdale, Illinois, where he was taken into custody.

Garbison remains in custody in Illinois pending an extradition hearing. Upon completion of the extradition process, he is expected to be returned to Starke County to face the outstanding
warrant. Additional charges may be sought as the investigation continues.

Sheriff Rosa extends his sincere appreciation to the U.S. Marshals Task Force for its partnership and assistance in locating Garbison and bringing him into custody.

“These partnerships are invaluable to our agency and play an important role in helping us maintain a safer community,” said Sheriff Rosa. “I also want to recognize our S*x Offender Unit for its thorough investigative work, follow-up, and commitment to seeing this case through.”

The Starke County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to working alongside local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to help protect the community and hold individuals accountable under the law.

All criminal charges are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

10/19/2026

On the morning of Monday, October 19th, 2026, a Knox man was arrested on an outstanding warrant by Deputies with the Starke County Sheriff’s Department.

Prior to the arrest, Starke County Sheriff’s Detectives assigned to the Starke County Major Crimes Unit were assigned a case involving the allegations of s*xual abuse of a minor. Investigators worked with the Indiana Department of Child Services throughout the investigation. The suspect in the case was identified as Richard Gast, age 60 of Knox, Indiana.

At the completion of the investigation, a report was forwarded to the Starke County Prosecutors Office, where after review formal charges were filed. A warrant was then issued for Gast by the Starke Circuit Court. The formal charges were two counts of R**e a Level 3 Felony, one count of S*xual Misconduct with a Minor a Level 4 Felony, and one count of S*xual Misconduct with a Minor a Level 5 Felony. Richard Gast is currently being held at the Starke County Justice Center on a $250,000 cash bond.

10/13/2026

We're putting together a call list for anyone interested in processing deer that Deputies or DNR may come across.

If you're interested in being contacted when a deer becomes available, please fill out the Google Form below. Dispatch will use the list to contact individuals as opportunities arise.

Filling out the form does not guarantee a deer will be available, but it will help us connect with those who are interested!

Thank you!

10/09/2026

TRAFFIC ALERT: PACIFIC AVENUE (50 S)

Beginning Monday, October 12, 2026, Norfolk Southern will be making repairs to the railroad tracks on Pacific Avenue (50 S), just west of Klockner Road (300 E).

During the repairs, truck routes will be affected as follows:

• Factories east of the railroad tracks: Trucks will need to use State Road 8 to 300 E.

• Factories west of the railroad tracks: Trucks will need to use State Road 8 to Range Road, then take 50 S.

Repairs are expected to continue throughout the week. Please plan accordingly and allow extra time for travel.

Please share this information with local businesses and truck drivers who may be affected by the road closures.

Address

5435 E State Road 8
Knox, IN
46534

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Starke County Sheriff's Office posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share