Sheriff Noah Robinson Names Lt. Nathan Sugarman As His Chief DeputyÂ
By Staff Writer
Januar5, 2023
Newly elected Vanderburgh County Sheriff Noah Robinson has announced the appointment of Lieutenant Nathan Sugarman to the position of Chief Deputy Sheriff.
In a press release, Sheriff Robinson described Lt. Sugarman’s twenty-three-year career at the Sheriff’s Office. Sugarman, who is a former Indiana State Police trooper, was sworn in as a deputy sheriff in 1999. After a few years on patrol, he became a field training deputy and later transferred to investigations where he served as a narcotics detective. Sugarman was promoted to the rank of sergeant and supervised both patrol deputies and detectives. In 2018 Sugarman was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and became a patrol commander. Sugarman was assigned to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Security Taskforce in 2020, and most recently served as the commander of the Professional Standards Section.
 “I am very pleased to have Nathan Sugarman assume the role of chief deputy. Nathan has proven himself a valuable member of the command staff and I know he has the knowledge and experience necessary to assist me in leading this agency,†said Sheriff Robinson.
On January 1st Sheriff Robinson inherited a jail expansion project from outgoing Sheriff Dave Wedding. That project, which has been nearly eight years in the making, will likely dominate the first few years of Robinson’s first term.
“I’m excited to meet with the architect and the construction manager in order to discuss the internal layout of the proposed expansion. Ensuring space exists for clinicians, counselors, and attorneys to safely and securely consult with inmates is a priority for me”, said Robinson. “The mental health areas of the expansion must meet certain design criteria in order to be conducive to treatment.”
Robinson pointed out that the jail is already the largest mental health facility in the county, despite being poorly equipped for that function. “Some individuals who are mentally ill commit crimes. Some commit serious crimes and need to be in jail; at least until state hospital space becomes available. We must have adequate jail facilities to accommodate these individuals, otherwise, how can we expect a positive outcome”, said Robinson.
The new sheriff campaigned on more than just addressing inmate mental health. Robinson told the Observer he is moving forward on several other key initiatives. “My plans for neighborhood-based policing are progressing as we assess the residential and business districts of the county. We will begin a new deputy promotional cycle immediately, which will allow us to staff a newly created Community Engagement Section”, said Robinson. “We are reviewing our use of force, pursuit, and internal investigations policies to and will be making adjustments to ensure we are following best practices.”
Robinson promised more initiatives and partnerships will be announced in the coming months. “I want to set the tone quickly with regard to what the public (and our Office members) can expect from their new sheriffâ€.
