A long-time officer with Starke County Community Corrections is now the chief probation officer in Starke County.
Shawn Mattraw takes the place of John Thorstad who resigned from the chief probation officer position in early March.
Thorstad and Community Corrections Director Robert Hinojosa were recently recognized by the Starke County Commissioners for their dedicated service to the county. Hinojosa’s last day was yesterday. He retired from community corrections after 30 years in the field and nine years as the director of the organization in Starke County.
In a press release, Mattraw said that one of his goals is to ensure that probation officers hold offenders accountable to the terms of probation. In a recent compliance check, Mattraw said officers conducted a search of a home in Hamlet and they reportedly found drug paraphernalia. 45-year-old Roberta Collins and 52-year-old Marvin Collins were arrested on preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia and maintaining a common nuisance.
