Belknap County commissioners on Monday voted to authorize Sheriff Wright to apply for a federal 287(g)-related stipend that the sheriff said could include $100,000 toward a vehicle purchase and $7,500 per certified employee for equipment.

Sheriff Wright described the program as a “stipend” tied to the county’s participation in the 287(g) program and said the sheriff’s office recently had a qualifying event. He said the vehicle portion could pay for an upfitted transport van and that $7,500 per credentialed employee (he said the office has nine credentialed employees) could be used for gear such as bulletproof vests and helmets. “They said basically that the federal government, specifically, president Trump had designated a pot full of money for those organizations that were 287(g) and had a qualifying event,” Wright said. He later added, “This is free money from the federal government because we decided that we got on early with the 287(g) program.”

Commissioners pressed for clarity about whether accepting funds would create ongoing obligations or “strings attached.” One commissioner cautioned that “the devil’s usually in the details” and said they should review any templates before finalizing acceptance. Sheriff Wright said the paperwork provided so far is minimal — an Excel spreadsheet for basic counts — and that he has asked federal contacts for more documentation. He said larger reimbursement requests (for overtime or personnel costs) would be more scrutinized and require documentation, while the gear-and-equipment stipend appeared to be less prescriptive in the materials he received.

Commissioner (unnamed) moved to authorize the sheriff to submit an application for the maximum allowable amount under the program, with the condition that any expenditures would come back to the board for approval. The motion was seconded by another commissioner and carried on an oral vote of commissioners present.

Sheriff Wright provided cost context during the discussion, saying he had a vendor quote for an upfitted Ford van at about $83,000 and outlined other likely equipment expenses such as radios (about $6,000) and lighting packages. He recommended keeping the department’s existing older van for non‑passenger gear transport if mechanically feasible and said purchases would be brought to the commission for approval if the stipend is awarded.

The board asked county staff to obtain and review the stipend application templates and any associated forms before the sheriff submits them or before the county accepts funds. Commissioners noted that if terms proved unacceptable they could decline the award or return the funds; the motion authorizing application was explicit that any spending decisions would require subsequent commission approval.

The vote therefore authorized pursuit of the stipend but preserved the commission’s control over county expenditures and any contractual commitments that might accompany acceptance of federal funds.

What’s next: Sheriff Wright will provide any additional paperwork the county receives and will return to the commissioners with a purchase request if funds are deposited and the county decides to accept them.