Sheriff seeks $762,975 purchase to replace firearms and holsters

County staff presented a request from the Columbia County Sheriff—s Office to buy replacement rifles, sidearms and holsters at a total cost of $762,975.50. The Sheriff proposed using $100,000 from the department—s asset forfeiture fund with the remainder to come from TABT (equipment funding).

Staff said the purchase is not an annual replacement but typically occurs every seven to 10 years and includes new holsters because the new sidearms will use different optics. The sheriff—s office plans to trade in some surplus weapons; the distributor may resell traded-in weapons to deputies through an officer buyback program, staff said. Staff clarified that fully automatic or removable-suppressor weapons would not be sold back: "Nothing fully automatic. Nothing suppressed," a presenter said, and that the new rifles include an integrated suppressor that cannot be moved to another rifle.

Commissioners asked about disposition of surplus weapons; staff said some would be retained by the sheriff—s office and some traded in, and trade-in rebates were already factored into the $762,975.50 figure. The item was placed on the consent agenda during this meeting; no roll-call approval or separate debate is recorded here.

No funding alternative was proposed at the meeting, and presenters said the purchase had been anticipated during budget discussions but had been deferred pending this procurement.