Webster County’s acting sheriff and his deputies addressed issues about vehicle and equipment needs with the Board of Supervisors last week.
Their frustrations mainly stemmed from the May 15-16 incident in which the Sheriff’s Department said a heavily armed man shot at deputies and other officers before he was wounded by gunfire and apprehended at a roadblock (see related update in this issue).
No deputies or other officers were shot, but four Sheriff’s Department vehicles (one fully insured) were damaged by gunfire, with two permanently disabled. Area law enforcement agencies have loaned the department vehicles to use on a temporary basis.
Acting Sheriff Andy McCants told supervisors May 20 that two high-mileage patrol cars were in the shop that night. As a result, he said the two deputies who initially attempted to arrest the man for domestic violence were using other vehicles (including McCants’ trucks) and did not have proper equipment because it was in the two cars.
Only one of the responding sheriff’s office trucks had ballistic door panels, according to McCants, which was credited with preventing rifle rounds from coming through and hitting deputies inside.
In discussing the need to buy new vehicles, McCants said, “We’re driving junk. We’re trying to rectify the problem.” He said the sheriff’s office needed the support of the Board of Supervisors and the equipment “to get the job done.”
Paul Crowley (District 4) responded that the board does support the department and pointed out that the supervisors had previously discussed vehicle needs with McCants at their first meeting in May. Board President Pat Cummings said they would have to look at the budget first.
“We’ve got to crawl before we can walk,” Crowley said.
McCants later inquired about using the “Capital Outlay-Auto” appropriation in his budget to lease-purchase two new Dodge Durangos with ballistic door panels at state contract price. After estimating the cost of payments through the end of this fiscal year, the board determined this was “doable.” McCants signed a requisition to lease-purchase the Durangos from Kirk Auto and Cummings approved it; quotes will have to be obtained for the interest.
Other Issues
McCants offered his deputies who were present an opportunity to address the board about equipment needs. Some talked about equipment they had to buy with their own money for their tactical vests, in addition to their service weapons.
“Every guy here is buying their own equipment,” Deputy William Thrasher said. “We can’t afford to buy our equipment that we’re required to have.”
Thrasher brought a ballistic vest to the meeting with a manufacturer’s panel indicating that the warranty expired 1½ years ago. When discussing such needs as ballistic vests and door panels, at least one deputy said he’d pay for his own if needed but that they shouldn’t have to.
The need for at least one more radio repeater with dedicated frequencies for the Sheriff’s Department was also discussed because of no service in some areas with patrol car radios and inside houses with handheld radios. Supervisors told deputies to contact Paul Lanthrip, who maintains radio repeaters for the county, about correcting the problem.
Before the meeting adjourned, McCants informed the board that EMA Director Barry Rushing planned to provide the Sheriff’s Department with radios on loan from the Mississippi Department of Homeland Security. McCants said the radios operate on the Mississippi Wireless Information Network public safety community system, which provides mobile area coverage statewide via multiple sites.
Although not blaming the supervisors for all of the problems addressed, the deputies said they wanted to bring their issues to the board’s attention. Crowley thanked them for doing so and said the board could alleviate some of them through the budget process. Deputies also thanked McCants for his support and changes he has made since becoming acting sheriff.
