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COUNTY BOARD WILL BE ASKED TO FUND NEW BUILDING
Wednesday, June 17th, 2009 -- 2:20 pm
Posted by Riley Hebert-News Director
The Clark County Board will be asked to spend up to $300,000 on a new evidence storage facility for the Sheriff’s Department.
The Joint Finance and Law Enforcement Committees met this morning.
Ther Sheriff’s Department has long complained about the condition of their current storage facility, located in a building north of the Courthouse.
"I would have to say at this point, it's pretty deplorable." said Clark County Sheriff Louis Rosandich. "We have some real problems with the current evidence storage as it pertains to larger items--motor vehicles, etc."
The Sheriff’s Department must hold evidence indefinitely—sometimes for many years—because of the possibility of appeal or lengthy civil trials, he explained.
Rosandich said he was “very concerned” the building was a health hazard for his officers and a major security problem. The building’s condition could also put future cases at risk.
"One of the other concerns that we have right now is the possibility of a court case, down the road, of great significance...should we lose a case because of the way evidence is currently being handled, I really don't think it would be a really good situation," he said.
Rosandich says the building has been broken into in the past and has a mold problem.
Russell Ratsch, an engineer, presented several options, including the construction of a new facility that would cost roughly $750,000.
The committees agreed a better option would be to construct a smaller, 6,000 square-foot, facility to relieve some of the current problems.
The County Board must approve such spending with a 2/3s-majority vote.
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