Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Procurement It topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bel Air staff recommend purchase of 10 police Toughbooks to replace unsupported devices
Summary
The police department and IT manager presented three quotes and recommended the lowest responsive quote — $37,003.36 — to replace 10 in-car Toughbooks that are reaching end-of-life and will no longer receive security updates.
Bel Air police and technology staff told commissioners Sept. 30 that 10 in‑car Toughbook laptops used by officers need replacement because the operating software will soon be unsupported and pose a cybersecurity risk.
Josh Forth (technology manager, referenced in staff remarks) obtained three competitively bid quotes that piggyback on an existing contract. The lowest quote — $37,003.36 — includes 10 devices, docking stations and a five‑year protection plan; that price is slightly under the fiscal‑year 2026 budget line of $38,000. Staff recommended accepting the low bid to ensure officers receive supported, patched devices.
Police and IT representatives emphasized cybersecurity risk as the critical reason to replace the devices: once a vendor stops issuing updates for a device, newly discovered exploits will no longer be patched and the device becomes vulnerable. Commissioners asked about the number of units and total cost; staff confirmed 10 Toughbooks plus docking stations and the five‑year protection plan are included in the recommended purchase. The purchase will be forwarded for formal approval at the next legislative meeting; staff said devices should be largely plug‑and‑play with the department’s current vehicle hardware and that IT will coordinate deployment.
No final purchase vote occurred at the Sept. 30 work session; the item will appear on the next meeting agenda for formal approval.
