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Sheriff requests fill for third animal-control officer and replacement patrol vehicles; Board approves ACO refill and vehicle purchases
Summary
Sheriff Daniel urged restoration of a third animal control officer position and requested early ordering of patrol vehicles as current fleet nears end of life; the Board approved refilling the vacant animal control officer post and authorized purchase orders for replacement patrol vehicles to avoid long manufacturing lead times.
Sheriff Daniel briefed the Board on two public-safety needs: restoring a third animal control officer (ACO) and replacing aging patrol vehicles.
On animal control staffing, Daniel said ACOs cover the entire county (cities and rural areas) and that cuts and voluntary departures have left the office with two ACOs who face a heavy call volume. He presented call-volume figures and recounted time-consuming fieldwork, arguing a third ACO is necessary to provide countywide service and to cover absences. The Board approved refilling the vacant ACO position; a motion to refill the position passed on roll call (Commissioner Smith Yes; Commissioner Barnett Yes; Commissioner Black recorded as absent for that vote), and the sheriff indicated the position is budgeted for the fiscal year and would be cheaper next year if filled at entry level.
On fleet replacement, the sheriff’s fleet manager and fleet supervisor explained that several long-mileage Tahoes are approaching or past 140,000 miles and have experienced catastrophic mechanical failures (engines, transmissions) that put vehicles out of service for weeks. The county historically prefers heavy-duty Chevrolet Tahoes for rough roads and officer safety but noted Ford Interceptors are more available. Because order banks for 2025 vehicles were opening and lead times can exceed a year, staff recommended placing orders now to lock in pricing and secure production slots. The request was to order a mix (three interceptors now and place placeholders for three additional Tahoes when available) and to upfit vehicles after delivery.
Commissioners discussed trade-offs between Tahoes (heavier, better on gravel) and interceptors (more nimble on pavement), resale value, and the risk of continuing to operate high-mileage vehicles. The Board authorized the purchase orders through the existing government contracts (Butler Ford for interceptors quoted at $48,966.85 each including tax/title) and approved placing orders now to avoid long delays.
The sheriff said purchases are included in vehicle replacement funds in the proposed FY26 budget; commissioners expressed support for the purchases, citing officer safety and service reliability.
