Lincoln County approves financing for new Taser units after staff recommendation

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners on May 5 approved two purchase agreements to replace aging conducted-energy devices used by the sheriff's patrol and the county jail, with financing spread over 60 months and final execution contingent on the county attorney's compliance review.

Board action follows a presentation from Captain Dan Newton of the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office outlining equipment obsolescence, training requirements and expected costs. Newton said the department's existing devices have exceeded a five-year useful life and many are no longer serviceable or compatible with current cartridges and holsters. "It's one of those things: I truly believe you change them all out or you don't change any of them out," Newton told commissioners.

Why it matters: Deputies and corrections staff use Tasers as part of a use-of-force continuum intended to reduce reliance on firearms and lower the risk of injury. Newton and Lieutenant Penny Ball explained that the vendor controls the product line, limiting competitive procurement options, and that the quote includes cartridges, training and holsters. The sheriff's office is also receiving a trade-in allowance on old units.

Details and outcome: Commissioners approved two purchase agreements, described in the meeting packet as one contract of roughly $108,000 and a second of roughly $126,000, to be paid on a 60-month schedule; the board's motion made approval contingent on a final legal review by County Attorney Tyler Volkmar. The record shows the board voted to approve the contracts.

What was discussed: Newton described that the department currently has roughly two dozen patrol units and approximately two dozen jail units, some of which are nonfunctional. He said the vendor offers about $500 per old device as trade-in. Officials noted the quote includes cartridges and training. For the patrol allocation the packet shows a first-year payment reduced by trade-in and subsequent annual payments of approximately $27,400 over the following four years; the patrol first-year payment in the packet was shown as about $16,404.

Next steps: The board's approval was contingent on Tyler Volkmar's confirmation that the purchase complies with procurement rules that apply when there are no competitive vendors. The sheriff's office and finance staff will finalize contract signatures and implement the financing schedule if the county attorney confirms compliance.