Sheriff wins board approval to buy used armored vehicle for $75,000 from fund balance

The Campbell County Board of Supervisors approved a $75,000 transfer from general‑fund balance on Oct. 7 to permit the sheriff’s office to acquire a used Lenco BearCat armored vehicle previously stored by the Lynchburg Police Department.

Sheriff I.T. Clark described the vehicle’s history, use in local critical incidents and the risk to officers before the county had its own asset. "That vehicle probably saved that deputy’s life that night," Clark said, recounting an incident in which rounds struck the vehicle’s door during a patrol call. Clark said a new armored vehicle would cost about $400,000; Lynchburg offered the 2011 model to Campbell County for $150,000 and, per the sheriff, made a sale price of $75,000 available to the county.

Clark and Lynchburg SWAT commanders briefed supervisors on operational considerations, maintenance expectations and operator training. Lieutenant Smith said the BearCat is driven similarly to a heavy‑duty Ford chassis and that operators typically receive emergency vehicle operation training before deployment. Staff and supervisors discussed maintenance logistics and whether the county would repurpose or sell any existing county apparatus.

County Administrator Frank Rogers told the board that the transfer from fund balance was preferable to depleting the county’s vehicle replacement fund, which covers the broader fleet. The board approved the transfer and instructed staff to complete purchase and transfer paperwork.

Provenance: the sheriff’s presentation, SWAT commander remarks and board vote appear in the Oct. 7 meeting transcript; staff provided a fiscal rationale for the fund‑balance transfer.