Tahoes on the way to sheriff

Bustin’ for Badges raises $105,000 to bolster law enforcement

Ector County commissioners on Tuesday will view fully equipping the 27 Chevrolet Tahoe patrol vans that are being delivered to the sheriff’s office this summer.

In the 10 a.m. meeting in the administration building at 1010 E. Eighth St., the court will consider spending $350,381 for laptop docking stations and input car adapters from GTS Technology Solutions of Austin, in-car cameras and AED First Response defibrillators from Axon Enterprise of Scottsdale, Ariz., and H2S Gas Monitors from Loaded Dice Safety of Odessa.

Sheriff Mike Griffis has said the vans, bought with revenues from the county’s new 1.25-cent rural sales tax, will be taken home by deputies to enhance community law enforcement presence and to enable deputies to respond more quickly to emergencies.
The Tahoes are coming from Parkway Chevrolet in Tomball, north-northwest of Houston, but an exact date for their delivery is not yet known, SO spokeswoman Shirley Hardee said Monday.

In other business, the court will accept a $105,000 donation from the recent “Bustin’ for Badges” clay pigeon-shooting benefit for the sheriff.

The court will also:

>> Consider appointing Dr. Babatunde Jinadu, the county’s public health officer, as a civil surgeon at the health department.

>> Declare surplus and approve the sale by auction of assets and other items.

>> Discuss paying Oncor Electric Delivery $1,597 for electrical connections on runways at Odessa Airport-Schleymeyer Field.

>> Review designs and building oversight for the construction of a new juvenile justice center.

>> Consider a master software subscription and service agreement with Icon Software of Suwanee, Ga., for jury service.

>> Review extending a contract with Summit Food Service for the jail.

>> Consider a contract with Garza County at Post to house Ector County inmates for $55 per day.

>> Discuss paying the Flock Safety Co. of Atlanta $55,000 for a year of software and hardware for automatic license plate detection for the sheriff’s office.

>> Consider a $34,000 line item budget transfer from autopsy services to transport expenses at the medical examiner’s office.

>> Discuss increasing the county’s expense line to $500,000 for jail medical and pharmaceutical costs with $400,000 to be paid by the county hospital district and $100,000 to be financed from the county’s general fund balance.