Commissioners approve two PD 6500 metal detectors for jail and courthouse

County staff told commissioners that the courthouse metal detector and an older body scanner failed during recent storms and are beyond local vendor service life. Vendors provided quotes; staff recommended the Garrett PD 6500i (PD 6500 pinpoint detection) as sufficient for courthouse needs while higher-tech models cost substantially more.

The board moved and approved purchasing two detectors at the quoted price (one to be funded from the jail seat fund and one from Kim Cap/capital funds for the courthouse). A staff member noted the PD 6500 includes a three-year warranty and inside delivery; installation/service by a technician was included in the quoted price. Commissioners discussed portability, batteries for use during outages, and whether other departments would use the devices.

Why it matters: Replacing failing security equipment restores screening capability at the courthouse and jail, and the purchase uses existing capital buckets rather than general fund transfers. The board instructed staff to coordinate delivery and ensure vendor setup while confirming final fund coding.

Next steps: Procurement and vendor scheduling; staff to confirm invoice timing so the board can track charges if multiple invoices arrive in a single month.