Sheriff's office request to host for‑profit tactical training in county auditorium tabled for more data

Rockingham County commissioners on March 26 tabled a sheriff's office request to waive facility fees for Tactical Tradecraft Solutions LLC, a for‑profit company proposing law-enforcement training in the county auditorium in January 2027.

A sheriff's office representative (speaker 7) said hosting outside training produces free slots for local deputies and can reduce training costs: "Some of the classes...are typically between $500 and $800 per participant," the representative said, and hosting can yield free seats. Several commissioners raised concerns that waiving fees for a for‑profit company would shift custodial, IT and other costs to county departments and could establish a precedent of giving away a public asset. "If we give this away for free...we're just kinda covering cost," the chair said.

Commissioners asked for additional details before approving a fee waiver, including last-year registration costs, the training agenda, expected number of attendees, and how food and cleanup would be handled. One commissioner moved to table the request until those data points were provided; the motion to table passed and the item was removed from immediate consideration.

Next steps: the sheriff's office was asked to return with registration/pricing history, the training syllabus, projected deputy attendance and plans for cleaning/food so the board can complete a cost-benefit analysis and evaluate precedent-setting risks.