Lt. Gary Hill and five other Cole County deputies are patrolling tornado-damaged areas in Pettis County.

"Every officer that works for the department, whether they were commissioned or non-commissioned, were working 12 hours on, 12 hours off, 12 hours on, 12 hours back on," explained Pettis County Sheriff Kevin Bond.

Hill said Cole County's happy to help.

"We're able to help give the Pettis County deputies a chance to go home, see their families, pick up their pieces, give them a chance to sleep before they go back on," he added.

Hill also said it's hard to patrol all areas.

"The main concern of the officers is to patrol areas like this, where debris is still lying all around," he explained. "They're worried that people might come up and take what they find." 

The biggest challenge for the relief staff is finding their way around.

"It's a challenge and it's fun," Hill admitted. "I mean, I tell you, it's interesting. They just gave him a call and he was able to look at his map and figure it out and answer it. So, we'll get it done either way."

This Cole County patrol is a one-time effort, but deputies say they'll come back if needed. Benton County, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Red Cross joined Cole County in helping Pettis County recover from storm damage.