TITLE
Title
BUDGET AMENDMENT: PURCHASE REPLACEMENT TASERS FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Danny H. Rogers, Sheriff (Capt. David Pruitt)
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BACKGROUND
Background
The Guilford County Sheriff's Office utilizes several weapons for its deputies and detention officers. One of these weapons is the Taser Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW) It has been utilized by the Sheriff's Office as an issued piece of equipment for approximately twenty (20) years. The current model of Taser used by the Sheriff's Office is the Taser Model X26P. The Sheriff's Office has been using this particular model since 2016. The supported life cycle of a Taser model is five (5) years, so this model has been end-of-life for the past two (2). It is no longer being supported in any manner by the Axon Company, which owns Taser. The Sheriff's Office is not be able to purchase any of the needed equipment, such as replacement batteries, replacement cartridges, or replace/repair damaged/broken Tasers. The Taser has shown to be a needed piece of equipment for deputies and detention officers. It assists in stopping assaults or threats of assaults by offenders by means on neuromuscular incapacitation. It also assists in deescalating situations, which might have become assaultive. The newest model is the Taser Model 10. The Sheriff's Office needs to replace 360 Model X26P Tasers in its inventory.
The cost to replace the Tasers, the accompanying equipment, provide training, provide training aids and replacement equipment, such as cartridges and batteries, is $1,104,194. The Guilford County Purchasing Department was consulted and approved a sole source exemption for the purchase of the Tasers from the Axon Company.
In order to process this mid-year need, the Sheriff's Office will utilize $488,572 in currently budgeted Federal Forfeiture funds towards the purchase of Tasers, all accompanying equipment and training. Federal Forfeiture Funds in the amount of $220,000 was appropriated in the Sheriff's Office FY2023-24 budget for Tasers and $268,572 in Federal Forfeiture Funds have been re-prioritized towards this purchase. The remaining $63,525 of the Sheriff's Office portion of the purchase, will come from Federal Forfeiture appropriated fund balance. The County's portion of $552,097 will come from appropriated fund balance. The total amount appropriated from fund balance for this item is $615,622. Federal Forfeiture funds can only be used for specific law enforcement type activities. The use of these funds will result in a remaining cash balance of $51,471 in Federal Forfeiture funds.
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BUDGET IMPACT
Budget Impact
General Fund (Restricted Federal Forfeiture Funds)
$615,622 increase in appropriation to Law Enforcement
$63,525 increase in Appropriated Fund Balance (Federal Forfeiture Funds)
$552,097 increase in Appropriated Fund Balance
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REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
1) Approve the sole source purchase of Tasers from the manufacturer, Axon Company, in the amount of $1,104,194, as authorized by G.S. 143-129 (e)(6) which provides that formal bidding requirements do not apply when a needed product is available from only one source or supply. Additionally, this purchase is being conducted under 2 CFR 200 Federal Uniform Guidance requirements.
2) Amend the General Fund to increase the appropriation to Law Enforcement by $615,622 and increase Appropriated Fund Balance (Federal Forfeiture) by $63,525 and increase Appropriated Fund Balance by $552,097.
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