Page County sheriff outlines two proposals for opioid funds: K-9 unit and jail body scanner

Sheriff Charles McCullough and Chief Deputy Aaron Riddle told the Page County Board that opioid-settlement funds could pay for a new K-9 narcotics unit and that the sheriff’s office is also evaluating a jail body scanner.

Riddle said the sheriff’s office has not had a K-9 since 2020 and wants to reintroduce a single-purpose narcotics dog to assist with drug interdictions, reduce related property crime and support community engagement. He estimated the purchase and training cost of a K-9 at roughly $8,000 to $13,000 for the dog and initial training, with full deployment costs — including lodging and longer training or dual-purpose bite training — ranging from about $14,000 to $21,000. Riddle said the department expects to use its own budget for vehicle outfitting (including cages) if opioid funds cover the dog and training.

On operation and mutual aid, Riddle said surrounding counties and the Iowa State Patrol frequently share canine resources but that local searches can require a dog to be on-scene quickly; having a unit based in Page County would reduce response time. He said two officers are interested in serving as handlers and that vendors in Omaha and Georgia offer post-sale support and recertification services.

Sheriff McCullough and Riddle also presented information about a jail body scanner that uses either X-ray or millimeter-wave imaging to flag items concealed on or in people entering the facility. Riddle said the technology can return results in two to three seconds and that some newer systems use software to highlight areas warranting closer inspection. He reported a vendor quote with “all the bells and whistles” and a five-year service plan in the roughly $250,000 range, and said lower-priced options exist but would still be in the low‑to‑mid six-figure range.

Riddle noted privacy and safety points discussed with other counties: images are typically stored in-house and not uploaded externally, and X-ray exposure from these machines is very low — he said it would take “1 to 2,000 passes” to equal a chest X-ray, according to the vendor used by a neighboring county. He also described the millimeter-wave systems as emitting non‑ionizing radiation, and said the county would track cumulative exposure if it adopted X-ray equipment.

No formal action was taken at the meeting. McCullough and Riddle asked the board for feedback and said the department will pursue vendor details, warranty and service-plan options, and potential grant opportunities before requesting specific funding or a formal appropriation.

Questions from board members at the meeting focused on whether schools would allow K-9 visits (Riddle said no formal agreements had been made but that superintendents were generally receptive), whether opioid funds can be used for vehicle modifications (Riddle said such purchases likely would not be eligible), and whether cheaper scanner options exist (Riddle said lower-cost machines are available but still costly).

The sheriff’s office did not request immediate approval to spend funds; the presentation was delivered for the board’s consideration and to prompt staff follow-up about vendor terms, potential grants and the scope of allowable opioid-fund expenditures.