To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Tyler Brown, Sheriff
Prepared By:
prepared
Adam Burson, Captain, Public Safety Bureau
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presenter
Presenter: Adam Burson, Captain, Bureau
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Subject:
title
2:00 PM *U.S. Department of Justice’s COPS Technology and Equipment Grant Program
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) requests that the Board of County Commissioners allow the ACSO Public Safety Bureau to apply for the U.S. Department of Justice’s COPS Technology and Equipment Grant Program grant. If awarded, the ACSO requests authorization to accept the grant and requests that the Board of County Commissioners authorize the Chair to sign any award documents or agreements and issue a Fixed Asset number.
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Background and Discussion: The ACSO wishes to apply for a grant funded by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to provide funding for a robotic dog. This request seeks to obtain a robotic dog, equipped with advanced HAZMAT detection sensors, to enhance the capabilities of the Sheriff’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) and Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) teams. The acquisition of this technology would provide tremendous regional benefits, especially to communities like ours that rely on Arapahoe County’s specialized EOD services. The Sheriff’s Office frequently deploys across a broad geographic area, including rural and underserved jurisdictions as far as the Kansas border, to respond to high-risk incidents involving explosives, hazardous materials, and critical rescue operations. The addition of a robotic dog would represent a major improvement in how these dangerous calls are handled.
Fiscal Impact: The grant will contribute $400,000, which is projected to be the total cost for the project.
Alternatives: The alternative is not to accept the grant and either find additional funding for these initiatives elsewhere or continue current processes.
Alignment with Strategic Plan:
☒Be fiscally sustainable
☒Provide essential and mandated service
☐Be community focused
Staff Recommendation: The Sheriff’s Office (Public Safety Bureau) and Administration Bureaus recommend applying for this grant.
Concurrence: The Sheriff’s Office Administration and (Public Safety Bureau) are in concurrence with this decision.