Sheriff and emergency services present equipment replacement needs including body scanner and mobile air compressor

Officials from the Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Services outlined equipment requests the board may consider when allocating CIP and reserve funds.

Chief Deputy Todd Peterson said the jail’s body scanner — purchased in 2018 — is obsolete and replacement parts and service are increasingly difficult to obtain; he gave a total price estimate of $201,500 for a modern replacement that includes a thermal scanner. "It also comes with thermal scanner," Peterson said when describing the package and its benefits.

Peterson also asked to replace roughly 15‑year‑old portable radios for correctional staff that can power‑cycle or fail; the radios carry a five‑year warranty and the plan would outfit correctional officers and key staff with more reliable units.

Drew Beyer, director of Emergency Services, requested replacement of an aging air compressor on the county’s mobile air truck — used to support rural fire departments and fire‑school operations — with a quoted rough cost of about $135,000 and an estimated lead time of 3–4 months to build plus shipping. Beyer noted parts for the current compressor model have become scarce and if it fails the truck would be unusable until repair or replacement.

Supervisors discussed funding constraints under CIP rules (vehicles and non‑affixed equipment may not be eligible) and noted some items may need to be funded from reserves or other sources.