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Sheriff, HR director say county vetted Sig Sauer purchase after public criticism
Summary
A public commenter alleged the sheriff's department purchased Sig Sauer pistols linked to litigation; Sheriff Reich and the HR director said the county arranged vendor briefings, union meetings and found no grievances, and that peer agencies use the same firearms.
A public commenter told the board she had been informed by county employees that the sheriff's office purchased Sig Sauer handguns that have known malfunctions and litigation in other states. Sheriff Reich and county HR staff responded at the meeting.
The sheriff characterized the public claims as inaccurate and said the department vetted the firearms and consulted with peer agencies and vendor representatives. "These guns are very safe," he said in remarks to commissioners. The HR director said the county convened meetings with union representatives, a Sig Sauer representative and arms specialists and stated, "there wasn't a single grievance filed." Staff also said there have been no unexpected discharges reported since the department moved to the new handguns.
Commissioners pressed for factual records; staff emphasized they had arranged weapon‑specific briefings and documented union outreach. The board did not take any formal action on procurement at the meeting; members asked that personnel and procurement records be made available if legally appropriate.
