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Community Corrections reviews GPS-unit options as supervised caseload grows
Summary
Johnson County Community Corrections told the council it is shifting from ownership to leasing of GPS monitoring units as caseloads grow and technology changes; the program currently supervises about 240 individuals.
Johnson County Community Corrections presented information about its GPS-monitoring program on April 14, saying the agency is evaluating leasing versus owning units as supervised caseloads grow.
Steve Kromode, assistant director of community corrections, said the county purchased roughly 250 GPS units in 2021 at a one-time cost (unit price cited as $395 each in his presentation) plus a daily monitoring fee (quoted at $1.65 per day per unit at purchase). Kromode told the council that some older units have required replacement and the department has shifted toward leasing units from its current vendor at a cost of $2.90 per day to avoid obsolescence and repair burdens.
Kromode said about 240 individuals were actively supervised on GPS units at the time of the meeting. He told the council that while owning some units can be cost-effective in the short term, rapid technology changes and maintenance needs make leasing attractive for long-term scalability.
Community Corrections said current GPS monitoring and related costs are covered from project income but warned that growth in the supervised population could require budgetary requests later in the 2026–2027 budget cycle. The department offered the briefing as an informational item to give council members early notice of potential resource needs.
Council members thanked the department for the heads-up and said staff should return with formal budget requests if leasing costs or caseload growth create fiscal pressure.
