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Supervisors press staff to pursue sale or transfer of surplus probation ammunition
Summary
Board discussed how to dispose of unused ammunition that no longer fits department weapons, directing procurement staff to explore auction or transfer options; staff said statute requires sale or transfer to another government agency rather than destruction.
Cochise County supervisors spent part of their work session Thursday discussing how to dispose of boxes of unused ammunition that became surplus when the adult-probation department changed the type of firearms it carries.
Theresa Rockridge, who represented adult probation, told the board the department had two calibers of ammunition—training and duty rounds—that no longer fit its issued weapons after a switch from .40 to 9mm pistols. Rockridge said the ammunition was purchased from the probation fee account and not the county general fund.
Board members questioned whether the county could auction the ammunition, transfer it to law enforcement partners or otherwise recover some value. Staff said procurement had been consulted and that shipping costs and legal requirements complicated immediate disposal. One supervisor said statute prohibits destruction and requires government agencies to sell or transfer firearms or ammunition rather than destroy them.
Staff estimated the stock was sizeable—roughly 290 boxes in discussion—and said it could be worth several thousand dollars at market rates; however, procurement noted shipping costs and federal/state disposal rules could limit options. The board directed staff to do more homework, check with the sheriff and local police departments (Sierra Vista Police Department was mentioned as a potential recipient), and explore public-surplus auction routes or trades.
Ending: The board moved the item to action so staff could return at the next meeting with procurement guidance, legal constraints from statute, and recommendations on storage, auctioning, or transfer.
