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Council reviews police equipment purchases, storage and training protocols
Summary
Councilors debated a batch of police procurements — radios, ammunition discounts, medical kits, a portable drug-screening device and less-lethal launchers — and pressed staff for SOPs, inventory controls and safety procedures before final approvals.
Council discussion turned to public-safety procurement and facility readiness, with staff describing a set of proposed purchases for the police department and evidence room.
Staff outlined an EMA-directed radio purchase (one base station and two radios; procurement item 8230015350) and asked for council approval to proceed. A motion to approve the radio purchase was made and seconded. Staff also described a bulk ammunition purchase that would qualify for volume discounts and proposed new tactical medical kits, ballistic shields and a clearing barrel for safe weapons handling during training.
Members repeatedly asked that standard operating procedures and written inspection checklists be provided before large purchases are finalized: they requested documented policies for secure storage of ammunition and weapons (including whether the town's storage meets OSHA/Indiana code requirements), defined monthly inventory checks for medical kits and clear protocols for sharing drug-test results. On the portable drug-screening device, staff said the device would provide voluntary roadside screening and that results could be shared with the Criminal Justice Institute as a law-enforcement partner; members asked how that intersects with medical privacy rules and calibration/maintenance costs.
Staff also described less-lethal tools (40mm multi-launchers for foam/rubber rounds and stop-sticks) and said officers receive required training and certifications for some devices, while additional specialized training would be required for others. Councilors asked staff to verify calibration/maintenance costs and provide a draft SOP and storage/inspection policy before finalizing the higher-cost items.
