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Houston County approves opioid-settlement funding for handheld substance analyzer for deputies
Summary
The county board approved spending opioid settlement funds to purchase a handheld spectrometer system (Apex R7) to help deputies identify substances safely and support referrals to local treatment partners; the request came from the sheriff’s office and was approved by the opioid settlement collaborative budget.
Houston County commissioners approved using opioid settlement funds to purchase a handheld substance-identification system described in the proposal as an "Apex R7 Raymond Spectrometer" for the sheriff’s office, at a purchase-and-training cost presented as $39,777.85.
Public-health staff explained that the device is a pocket-sized scanner that can read substances through clear containers and claims to identify up to 24,000 substances, allowing officers to identify potentially dangerous materials without opening packages and exposing themselves to fentanyl or other substances. The public-health presenter said the purchase would include access to an online training portal and that the sheriff’s office proposed the project; the public-health department plans to partner with Hiawatha Valley Mental Health and other local partners to provide referral packets to people identified with substance-use needs.
A county staff member noted the opioid settlement fund is budgeted at an annual plan of about $126,630 and that the settlement payments will continue for 18 years; the collaborative set an approximate per-quarter budget cap (presented as roughly $60,000) that the board used to evaluate proposals. The spectrometer request fit within that budget framework, and the board approved the purchase by voice vote. Commissioners clarified that the sheriff’s office brought the proposal, that the funding comes from Fund 12 (opioid settlement fund), and that local police agencies could be invited to use the system after initial deployment.
The board asked staff to confirm details such as the number of physical units included in the purchase and whether local departments could access the system; staff said they would clarify procurement specifics as part of implementation. The presenter emphasized the safety rationale, noting videos and examples of law enforcement officers experiencing overdose-like incidents from minimal fentanyl exposure during handling, and said the device would reduce that risk while also creating referral pathways to treatment.
The motion to approve the expenditure was made and seconded and was approved by voice vote. Staff will proceed with procurement and coordinate training and referral partnerships as described.
