The Berrien County Board of Commissioners has honored former Berrien County Sheriff Forrest Nick Jewell after he passed away over the weekend. At Thursday’s meeting, the board approved an honorary resolution for Jewell, something it had been planning to do before he died at the age of 92. Chair Mac Elliott read the resolution noting Jewell served as sheriff from 1969 to 1991.
“On the campaign trail, Jewell said he aimed to open a substation on the south end of the county, reestablish the junior deputy program, secure a lie detector for the department, add a chief to the detective division, work to prevent the loss of officers to the private sector, and arrange for extended training for all his officers,” Elliott read.
Elliott said Jewell did all that, and also added a narcotics lab, a crime lab, a bomb squad, and improved communications systems. Elliott said Jewell was a giant in the community and there was emotion in his voice when he said the county board honors Sheriff Jewell for “being a true asset to the citizens of Berrien County.”
