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Clay County approves lease for 92 rugged mobile data terminals; vendor highlights AI license‑plate features
Summary
The commission approved a five‑year lease to replace 92 in‑vehicle mobile data terminals for the sheriff’s office. Vendor representatives described ruggedized devices, extended warranties, two‑screen capability and optional license‑plate recognition/AI features intended to speed officer checks and data offload.
The Clay County Commission approved a five‑year lease agreement for 92 rugged mobile data terminals to equip sheriff’s patrol vehicles, citing durability and warranty coverage as reasons to prefer leasing over straight purchase.
Sheriff Phil Kofer presented the proposal and said the five‑year lease from SHI International includes docking stations, vehicle‑mount peripherals and extended warranties intended to reduce replacement costs for devices that are heavily used in patrol cars. "This lease will replace basically all of the computers we have out in the field," the sheriff said.
A representative from GTA, Brian Manuso, demonstrated several device capabilities: two‑screen support, built‑in routing to help offload body and dash camera data, barcode ticketing functionality and an integrated license‑plate reading feature that can be voice‑activated so an officer can keep hands on the wheel during a stop. Manuso said the devices are rugged, widely used by large agencies and can support future operating‑system upgrades; he also said the standard contract term can be extended beyond five years in some cases.
Commissioners questioned contract optionality and technology obsolescence; county staff said the lease includes annual renewal options and warranty coverage to address damage and maintenance. Commissioner Carpenter moved approval and the motion passed 5‑0.
What’s next: The sheriff's office will finalize lease documents and schedule device deployment to patrol vehicles. County staff and the sheriff's office indicated they will follow up with written details about upgrade paths and contract renewal terms for commissioners.
