DARLINGTON, SC (WBTW) – Darlington County Council met Monday night, right next door to the County Sheriff’s office. Council members had plenty of questions for recently-installed Sheriff Tony Chavis when it came to the office’s request for newer and better equipment.
“Those things just need to be updated and upgraded,” said Lt. Robert Kilgo, PIO for the Sheriff’s Office.
“Body armor of any kind has a warranty,” Kilgo said.
Kilgo explained that a recent inspection of equipment by the new administration discovered some equipment was past that warranty date.
“Its effectiveness, at any given time, is really up for debate, but we tend to go by the warranty” Kilgo explained. “The warranty is generally five years.”
Kilgo said the request–which council approved Monday night–will help officers feel safer when on patrol.
“It will get us to where we can sufficiently garner services to the people of Darlington County,” said Kilgo.
Kilgo said now that the body armor and personal equipment upgrades are approved, the office will begin outfitting deputies and getting equipment ordered.
Council also approved a request to buy as many as 24 new cars for the Sheriff’s office fleet.
“We got vehicles out there at 200,000 miles that need to be replaced,” said Kilgo. “There’s no excuse for having vehicles that have reached the mechanical limit that we have.”