The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Department will be seeing new features utilized for its K-9 units following Monday’s commission meeting.
According to Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson, the department purchased a couple of used highway patrol vehicles to begin with for the K-9 program and one of the vehicles is out of service due to maintenance issues.
Two Dodge Durangos from the state contract will purchased in the amount of $44,286 each and will also need upfitted for the K-9 units.
The upfitting of the vehicles will be $20,689 each and will be paid from the new equipment and other funds as well as funds from the golf tournament that goes to the K-9 fund.
“The K-9 unit vehicles require a little more uplifting than normal vehicles,” Dickerson said.
The special features will include officer capability of remotely opening the doors to let the K-9 out if needed as well as a cooling unit that constantly runs to allow the K-9 to be left in the vehicle.
In other action:
• Commissioners approved the purchase of a 2027 Ford Explorer from Ed Morse Ford in Lebanon for the county collector’s office in the amount of $41,214. The vehicle will be paid from the Tax Maintenance Fund.
According to Collector Barbara Gholson, after comparing different vehicles this bid was the lowest comparable to the package requested.
• The commission approved a contract with Putz Construction for the bridge rehabilitation on County Road 460. The bid was approved a couple of weeks ago and this was to formalize the contract.
• Commissioners appointed Steven Phillips to fill an unexpired term on the Senior Services Board expiring June 24, 2027. Commissioner Stephen Daume abstained due to being related to Phillips.
• The commission approved a contract in the amount of $119, 394 to Herzog Excavating for County Road 475. The bid was the lowest received.
• Commissioners approved a new shirt policy for the safety manual to bring it in line with OSHA.
According to Daume, anyone working on or around the roadway will be required to wear a Class 2 or 3 Hi-Vis shirt, jacket or vest.
It will also include anyone operating equipment, including lawnmowers, to be required to wear Class 1 or greater Hi-Vis shirt, jacket or vest.
• The commission approved 911 testing and training software in the amount of $1,700 for the remainder of the year and the cost will be $5,100 for a full year.
According to Dickerson, testing was done in house before and this newer software will include live action scenarios for dispatchers to practice their skills.
• Commissioners approved the renewal of the Guardian RFID Program for the jail.
The program includes tags on the walls of the jail for staff to scan for any action being completed as opposed to carrying paper work around and manually entering information once back in the booths.
The program also allows inmates wristbands to be scanned anytime someone is moved from another pod or transported to court or the doctor.
The cost will be $30,873 and will carry the program into next year and will be paid from the jail fund. Dickerson reported the price increased a bit from the previous year before due to the increase of inmates and tags needed.
