TITLE
Title
TRANSFER EXTERNAL SECURITY FOR THE GUILFORD COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER FROM THE GUILFORD COUNTY SHERIFF TO GUILFORD COUNTY SECURITY
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Sheriff Danny H. Rogers (Cpt. A.N. Heron)
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BACKGROUND
Background
The original agreement between Guilford County and Cone Health for operation of the Guilford County Behavioral Health Urgent Care Facility called for the county to provide 24/7 internal and external security services with sworn security officers. In order to meet this obligation, the Board of Commissioners approved the addition of five sworn Deputy Sheriff positions and funding for five security personnel. Funding for the contracted and sworn security services were approved with the FY 2020-21 budget. The desire for sworn positions were initially identified to help improve the efficiency of the involuntary commitment process for area law enforcement resources.
After re-assessing the agreement, now that the center has been opened, the Guilford County Sheriff’s office is requesting to end involvement at the BHUC as of October 10, 2022, and to be released from any further duty to dedicate sworn Sheriff’s Deputies to provide 24 hour/7 days a week, law enforcement presence at the BHUC. The Sheriff has submitted this request based on operational needs and current staffing resources.
This agenda item requests the transfer of the five positions originally assigned to Law Enforcement (Sheriff), as well as all related expenses and equipment used to support the positions, to the County Security Department to ensure appropriate security coverage is provided.
The county will continue to work with our partners to review and, if necessary, revise any related agreement(s) and operating procedures now that the BHUC is fully operational, to include any needed updates to the local plan for involuntary commitment transportation. Any future lease agreement amendments will be brought before the board for consideration.
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BUDGET IMPACT
Budget Impact
NO ADDITIONAL COUNTY FUNDS REQUIRED.
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REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Approve the transfer of five Deputy Sheriff positions and all related personnel and operating expenses and equipment from the Sheriff/Law Enforcement Department and Mental Health budgets to the Security Department/budget to provide security services at the Guilford County Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center; and authorize staff to take any necessary actions to amend the lease to provide appropriate security provisions to the center.
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