Sheriff’s department chooses vendor for domestic violence offender GPS gear

WILLIAM NORTHCUTT

Staff Reporter

In a meeting with the county’s Law Enforcement Committee on Friday, October 11, plans were approved to work with vendor A2i for GPS tracking ankle bracelets that will monitor the whereabouts of domestic violence offenders as a condition of bail.

Committee members attending included Chairman Kim “Peck” Peckenpaugh, Debbie Bradshaw-Hart, James T. “Bubba” Cobb, Bradley Gray, and Steve Sartin. Robert Kirby and Mark Korn were absent.

Attending from the Sheriff’s Department were Sheriff Jeff Box, Deputy Jeff Burns, and Jail Administrator Lieutenant Alan Bargery. Attending too were Commissioner and Investigator Terry McCreight and Dyer County Administrative Assistant Beverly Ellington.

Peckenpaugh opened the meeting with a prayer for victims of the recent storms, including those in East Tennessee who lost lives and property.

The minutes from the previous meeting were approved with a motion from Bradshaw-Hart, a second from Cobb, and a unanimous vote.

Peckenpaugh told the committee that they were there because the Sheriff’s Department has an opportunity to obtain ankle bracelets for the GPS tracking of domestic violence offenders who are permitted bail.

Box said that in July a law came into effect that requires such offenders to wear ankle bracelets and that after an exhaustive search by his agency and others, they could find no West Tennessee vendors. While they have looked into several vendors elsewhere, he found the offer from A2i to be the best.

The company’s services include putting on and taking off the monitors as well as 24 hour monitoring. The service, Box said, can be monitored at the same time by his department, and if the offender gets anywhere close to the victim, he and his staff will get an immediate alert/phone call.

Because offenders have to pay for the services, the cost to the county would be minimal.

Bradshaw-Hart asked, “So this would keep the offenders out of jail?”

Box answered, “Yes, as a condition of their bond.”

The county would pay the expenses only if the bracelet had to be administrated for medical cases where the offender is unable to pay. However, the company would pay $50 if the Sheriff’s Department put a device on an offender and another $50 when they remove it. Box said that money would be used then to pay for the services of indigent or hospitalized offenders. He remarked, however, that if an offender could afford bail, they would not be considered indigent in any case.

He remarked that his office had shown the contract with A2i to Dyer County Attorney Mike Gauldin. He said he has also cleared it with the county auditor and that it was determined that all the okay he needs is County Mayor David Quick’s signature, which he has obtained.

He said that since the costs to the county are minimal, far under the requisite $25,000 which prompts bidding, he could chose the company he deemed best.

Cobb and Gray asked for confirmation of costs.

A handout which detailed costs to offenders:

$100 for installation

$100 for removal

$75 for a device charge

$8 for a daily rate

Bradshaw-Hart asked for confirmation that the Sheriff’s Department would also be monitoring offenders and was assured it would.

The committee gave its full approval with a motion from Bradshaw-Hart, a second from Cobb, and a unanimous vote.