Commission approves sheriff’s request to spend federal forfeiture funds on license‑plate reader system upgrade

Sheriff Gordon Smith asked the Bradford County Commission to approve using federal forfeiture funds to pay for an upgraded license‑plate reader system and a three‑year contract that he said would save county law enforcement money.

Smith told the commission the federal forfeiture account balance was about $237,000 and that the license‑plate reader network is “probably become one of our biggest crime fighting tools.” He said the proposed three‑year contract would save the county about $16,000 per year and “over a 3 year period, is a hundred and $15,500,” as phrased during the meeting.

The sheriff showed examples of how the system aided investigations and recoveries, citing cases in which cameras helped recover stolen trailers and locate a missing person. He said federal forfeiture funds must be used for crime‑prevention purposes and that such use is consistent with those limits.

A motion to approve the requested use of federal forfeiture funds was offered, seconded and carried by voice vote. The chair announced “motion carries.” No roll‑call votes of named commissioners were recorded in the meeting transcript; the clerk recorded the motion, second and a voice vote for approval.

What happens next: the county will withdraw from the federal forfeiture account to fund the three‑year contract on the license‑plate reader system and will implement the system for countywide camera data collection as described by the sheriff.