Tasers area valuable tool for law officers, but they don’t come cheap, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Capt. Dan Newton told the county commissioners Monday as he said it’s time to upgrade.  

Some of the tasers in the sheriff’s supply were purchased 17 years ago. More were purchased14 years ago and others 11 years ago.

Capt. Dan Newton said there are about 48 tasers – 24 in the jail and 24 in the patrol division, but several of them don’t work and they are too old to repair. The expected life is five years, he said.

Newton said a single taser formally cost about $900 each, but now cost as much as $4,000 each. The old ones are outmoded. There are no repairs available, and the new ones are completely different, with different controls, cartridges and holsters.

About eight hours of training is required to learn how to properly use them. Newton wants to eliminate the likelihood of confusion by replacing the entire set.

“It’s one of those things,” Newton said. “I believe you change them all out or you don’t change any out.”

Newton appeared before the commissioners to tell them about the situation and the impossibility of taking competing bids, since there are no other suppliers.

Competing bids are normally required on any city, county or school district purchase of something valued at $50,000 or more.  

Newton said tasers are a valuable tool in the toolbox, a step we can go through in the use of force instead of pulling a sidearm or pepper spray.

He said two weeks ago, a suspect squared up on a deputy in Sutherland after a foot chase. The deputy was alone, used his taser, and dropped the guy.

A taser disables a suspect for about five seconds, long enough for an officer to put handcuffs on them. There are no lasting effects. He said the odor of pepper spray contaminates the cruiser.  

“There’s definitely a place for them,” he said. “They’re very expensive. But that’s where we’re at.”

Newton said the total cost will be around $234,000. Those for the jail will cost about $108,000, and those for the patrol division will be purchased in five yearly installments, totaling around $126,000.

Newton said the supplier will take old tasers that are working in trade, valued at about $500 per device.

He said the sheriff’s 2024-25 budget has funds to cover the costs this year, when the bulk of the expense will be paid.

The commissioners had no objections. They approved the purchases and thanked Newton for keeping them informed.

Hi-tech drone

In other business, the commissioners approved the purchase of a high-tech drone for the sheriff’s office, to help with investigations, provided a grant pays virtually all of the $33,000 cost.

Newton praised the rapidly improving technology of drones.

He said drones can inspect dangerous areas, such as an explosion at Bailey Yard, the occupants of a crumpled vehicle, or a residence surrounded by police.

The drone will have infrared capacity and tracking capacity to lock on a heat signature. In the case of an officer involved shooting, the drone can see if an out-of-sight shooter has been neutralized.

At an accident scene, a drone can create an accurate scale diagram of crash in about 20 minutes, compared to several man-hours of accident reconstruction.   

The cost of the drone would be covered by a $30,000 grant from Union Pacific Railroad, leaving the county to pay another $3,000.

The commissioners approved the grant application. If it is approved, the county will be notified in September. The Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation will act as a pass-through agency to meet the non-profit, 501c3 requirement for the recipient.

“For me, it’s a no brainer,” Chairwoman Micaela Wuehler said.

Major expense

Sheriff Jerome Kramer told the the board that a major medical expense is coming. A young female inmate is pregnant, with a baby expected in June.

Kramer said the woman was arrested in October with three men. They were arrested together, in possession of 38 pounds of meth.

Kramer said the woman doesn’t qualify for a medical release from jail, so the cost of care and childbirth will have to be paid by the taxpayers.

“I’m not sure what it will cost, but it will be a big bill,” Kramer told the board, who did not comment.

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