Ways and Means Committee approves $10,000 transfer to sheriff for deputy firearms

Ways and Means Committee members approved a $10,000 transfer from the jail education account to jail police equipment Thursday to allow the sheriff’s department to purchase new firearms for deputies.

Committee members said the transfer was needed to buy service weapons and discussed details of the purchase. The transfer was presented as a request from the sheriff’s office and the committee voted to approve it during the meeting on Aug. 27.

During discussion, committee member Mister Havey asked, “So it says here purchase of firearms. Any idea what particular firearms, Mister Havey?” A staff respondent answered that the specific make and model were not listed in the materials and said, “I trust that the sheriff’s department knows their business and knows what they need.” Later in the discussion a speaker clarified that the purchase was “about 30 firearms for the deputies” and that they were sidearms. Committee members also noted that the purchase included a trade-in provision for the department’s existing weapons. When asked about caliber, a committee member observed the paperwork “looked like” the weapons were .40 caliber.

The motion to transfer funds was moved and seconded and carried with no recorded opposition.

The transfer moves existing county budgeted dollars between line items; no additional county appropriation was requested at the meeting. The committee did not identify the vendor, the exact make or model of the firearms, or the final cost per weapon beyond the $10,000 transfer. There was no mention of required external approvals or a public-bid status during the discussion.

The committee proceeded to other agenda items after the vote.