BENTONVILLE — Benton County Sheri◊’s O◊ce vehicles - from those used in the line of duty to those seized as a result of arrests - will get a little relief from the elements in 2010.

Among the thousands of line items in the 2010 Benton County budget, $50,000 is allocated for asphalt, concrete and other construction materials to build a vehicular shelter for an impound lot near the Benton County Jail.

The lot, which houses the department’s patrol vehicles, boats and SWAT van, also contains about 20 vehicles confiscated in drug-related prosecutions, said Sheriff Keith Ferguson.

“On average, we’ll get 10 to 20 vehicles a year,” Ferguson said. “When I took over, we didn’t have but one narcotics o◊cer - now we have fi ve.”

Ferguson, who took o◊ce in 2003, said the number of confiscated vehicles year to year has increased with the number of drug-related arrests.

Ferguson said that while about 75 percent of theimpounded vehicles are auctioned to the public, the rest are used by undercover narcotics officers. The life of an undercover vehicle is limited, however, because it might be recognized by criminals.

News, Pages 8 on 11/02/2009

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