Commissioners approve $13,000 to finish sheriff's handgun transition amid jail pressure

Ross County commissioners voted to provide a $13,000 appropriation to help the sheriff's office complete a transition to a Smith & Wesson handgun platform, the board said at its March 30 meeting.

The sheriff's office told commissioners it had negotiated purchase terms for 90 handguns with optics and holsters at a combined cost of about $96,861 and expected a trade-in value of $18,900, leaving a roughly $77,961 balance. The department said it has about $65,000 available in its budget and asked the board to cover the remaining $13,000.

Commissioners explained some of the delivered handguns did not meet the agreed specifications for optics, requiring a trade-back and replacement effort. The sheriff's office said the county is transitioning away from the SIG Sauer P320 platform because some state training ranges and agencies will not allow that model and because of safety and liability concerns for deputies using a platform that other agencies have restricted.

A motion to appropriate the $13,000 was made, seconded and approved by voice vote.

During the same discussion, county officials outlined pressure on jail capacity. County staff said the jail had been holding well above its approved population (examples cited: 151 inmates this morning, 160 last Monday) while being approved for 116 beds, and that the county is housing inmates in other counties at about $85 per inmate per day. Officials said weekends can sharply increase incoming inmates and strain staffing and bed space, and that the county is in discussions about longer-term solutions including state help for a new facility.

The board also discussed the disposal and sale of retired 9 mm pistols and the distinction between safety for officers on official duty versus private ownership, noting continued attention to liability and operational readiness as the department transitions equipment.