DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Ripley County Sheriff Mike Barton considers himself lucky as his department only had 7 inches of flood water throughout its building, but it was enough to force a move into a temporary location.
When Current River began rising on April 30, deputies initially were "out saving lives, doing water rescues" and well-being checks, Barton said. "When we seen it was going to reach the sheriff's office, we did have time to save the computers and files.
"Everything else inside, any desks, furniture, counters, was a total loss."
Deputies, he said, also had time to move the department's 14 prisoners.
"Every inmate in the Doniphan jail was my inmate," said Barton, who indicated his department contracts with the Doniphan Police Department to hold the county's inmates.
Before Current River crested at 33.13 feet on May 1, the police department would end up with more than 5 feet of water inside.
"When we seen we were going to have to evacuate all the inmates," deputies transported to them to the Wayne County jail, where they will be housed until further notice -- until the City of Doniphan decides about the future of its jail, said Barton, who was "very thankful" to Wayne County Sheriff Dean Finch for taking the prisoner.
All of the department's evidence, Barton said, also was moved to a safe and secure location.
As the flood waters rose, Barton said, he began searching for a business or building within the Doniphan city limits "that would accommodate us," so "we could get set up to start operating ... but with the short notice, I couldn't find one."
Given the amount of space needed to accommodate the department's vehicles and other equipment, such as its boat(s), and the number people coming in and out, there was no place available where "phone lines, internet" could be set up in a short time, Barton said.
Any available office space, Barton said, would have taken away parking from other businesses, which was something the sheriff did not want to do.
Although Barton wanted to be centrally located to "accommodate the people better," he said, the location he found was at Taylor's K&E Building Supply on Highway 142, about three miles out of town.
"It has enough space for all our computers (and) fingerprint machine," Barton said. "Once we get internet and phone lines, it will accommodate us until we are back at the sheriff's office."
Barton said he still is waiting on Windstream to "get everything hooked up" at its temporary location and has been told that may happen on Monday.
Once hooked up, Barton said, the department's "normal business number" of 573-966-2129 may be used again.
In the days after the flood waters receded, "we removed all the effected sheet rock that was touched by the water," Barton said. "All the 2X4s were treated and dried out."
Despite the work on the building, how long the sheriff's department will be in its temporary home is "a good question" and will be up to the county commission, Barton said.
Located about a block north of the Ripley County Courthouse, Barton said, his department had no insurance because "we were not in the flood zone."
Barton said he will be meeting with county commissioners to see what is next for them.
At this time, the police department is handling "our dispatch," Barton said. " ... The sheriff's emergency line is being answered at the police department.
"That number is 573-996-5555. To speak to a deputy sheriff, call that number."