Haywood County sheriff defends vehicle upgrades as residents question costs

Sheriff Bill Wilkie defended planned equipment upgrades for county patrol vehicles before the Haywood County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 14, saying the purchases are necessary for deputy safety and operational effectiveness.

Wilkie, who delivered an earlier invocation, told commissioners that upfitting costs have risen ‘‘almost doubled’’ because of market factors and tariffs and said he will ‘‘not advocate for anything less than the best safety equipment for our deputies.’’ He described pursuit-rated ‘‘pit bumpers’’ as a life‑saving tool, explained risks associated with stop sticks and said tinted windows protect both officer safety and sensitive computer data inside vehicles.

The sheriff addressed a public and commissioner concern about whether all accessories were necessary. ‘‘If someone runs from us and we have legal authority to pursue them, I will stop that pursuit,’’ Wilkie said. He added that the department has conducted ‘‘over 13’’ pit maneuvers in recent years with ‘‘0 injuries to any of our people’’ and framed the equipment as an investment that reduces longer‑term repair costs from recurring failures in cheaper gear.

A commissioner who raised the question said constituents worried the outfitting costs could add substantially to the price of vehicles during a year with budget pressures. Wilkie replied that the vehicles and their upfits were part of the regular budget cycle, noted efforts to save money (for example, earlier procurement that reduced firearms costs), and said durable equipment often costs less over time than repeated repairs.

The exchange included explanations from county procurement staff that the county used a bidding process and that changing vehicle models (from sedans to SUVs/trucks) and tariffs have increased upfit costs. Commissioners emphasized the need to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars while also supporting public safety.

The consent agenda — which included routine items tied to county operations — was approved later in the meeting by voice vote. The board did not vote on a separate, standalone policy change regarding vehicle equipment during the session; conversation focused on procurement rationale and safety tradeoffs.

The sheriff also cited departmental performance data, saying reports of larceny are down more than 40% compared with earlier years and that response times have improved about 17%, which he presented as evidence the policies and equipment posture are yielding results.

The board did not enact immediate changes to upfit specifications during the meeting; commissioners asked staff to continue reviewing costs and said they expect to weigh procurement decisions in future budget work.