Saluda police officers will soon have more law enforcement tools within reach after the Saluda Board of Commissioners voted Monday, Sept. 12 to approve the purchase of additional equipment for the department.
Four new stop sticks, four alcohol sensors and four tasers amounted to a total purchase price of $7,365.
Chief James Cantrell said he was asking for four of each item so that when an officer gets in his or her vehicle, they know the equipment they need is inside.
He said the alcohol sensors in particular come in handy.
“If we think that someone is intoxicated enough to arrest them and we arrest them and take them down to Polk County and find out they have not had enough to drink to be arrested, we are looking at a possible lawsuit for false arrest,” Cantrell said.
The alcohol sensors give officers a rough estimate of alcohol levels on an individual’s breath. Commissioner Johnny Kinard said the current alcohol sensor was at the department 15 years ago.
Meanwhile, other equipment, such as the lone taser owned by the department, is also far beyond outdated.
“The tasers that we have now are over six years, going on seven years old and the recommendation from the company is that these be replaced every four years,” said Kinard.
Kinard moved that the request be approved, Sweet seconded and the motion was unanimously approved.