As of just a few weeks ago, vehicles that are owned by Vance County are now equipped with GPS tracking devices.
County Manager C. Renee Perry said installing the devices is being done “as a matter of safety and for fleet tracking.” The cost is roughly $9,300 a year, but that doesn’t include vehicles used by the Sheriff’s Office. They don’t have the equipment – yet.
There is some debate between Sheriff Curtis Brame and other county officials about whether the county has the authority to place the GPS trackers on vehicles used by the Sheriff’s Office.
Brame has said he is not in favor of putting the devices on his patrol cars, even though they are county-owned vehicles.
There was discussion at a June 13 county budget work session, during which Perry stated that County Attorney Jonathan Care said the sheriff’s vehicles could be included, but Brame read a statement that supported his claim that the county doesn’t have jurisdiction over the vehicles in his fleet.
The county doesn’t have power over the sheriff’s office or of its personnel; Perry said the board of commissioners “is still considering attorney guidance” in the matter.
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