By Conrad Dudderar
Associate Editor
EL RENO – The public’s generosity continues to prove fruitful for the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office.
The latest gifts to benefit Canadian County sheriff officials come from an oil and gas company and an auto dealership.
Canadian County Commissioners, at their weekly meeting Oct. 23, approved resolutions allowing the sheriff’s office to accept two monetary donations.
Frontier Chevrolet, through Headway Marketing LLC, is giving $5,000 to be used for “purchasing equipment, training or general operating expenses” at the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office.
Meanwhile, Marathon Oil Company will contribute $1,000 to pay for “day-to-day law enforcement activities” of Sheriff Chris West’s office.
From time to time, Canadian County residents, businesses and organizations will contribute funds, equipment or vehicles to the sheriff’s office.
All donations must be formally approved by the county commissioners.
Tracey Rider, Canadian County’s first-year District 3 commissioner, asked whether the sheriff’s office goes out and asks for these donations.
“We don’t,” Canadian County Undersheriff Kevin Ward replied. “Chevrolet, as an example, they have what they call a First Responder (grant). We happened to be selected for that this year.
“Marathon Oil, every year, does this for all the first responders in that area in Watonga – that includes part of our area. That includes law enforcement, firefighting and ambulance. They give several of those out, and we’re one of the recipients.”
Before this Monday’s donations, the latest example was Sept. 18 when Canadian County Commissioners OK’d a $100 gift from Dennis Sorensen to be used for the sheriff’s K-9 program.
Other $100 contributions from Sorensen were made in January and February.
County commissioners, at their Aug. 28th meeting, approved allowing the sheriff’s office to accept two Taser T26P electrical conductive weapons from Edward Cangiano.
Back on Jan. 23, they permitted Allstate Insurance to give the sheriff’s office a Honda Accord “for law enforcement purposes.”
ODDS ‘N ENDS…
Among other business at their Oct. 23rd meeting, Canadian County Commissioners approved:
- Applying for a $100,000 Rural Development Plan (REAP) grant for an asphalt overlay project on Reno Road between Banner Road and Gregory Road in District 2.
- Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) county road action reports for roads in District 1 and 2. These reports includes removals and additions of roads in the county’s inventory.
- Acknowledging designation of Kimberly Killman and Heather Dunavin as requisitioning officers and Tamara Storrs and Rita Johnson as receiving officers for the Canadian County Health Department.
- Agreement between the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office and El Reno Public Schools to provide uniformed security services at ERPS campuses for the 2023-24 school year.
Undersheriff Ward on Oct. 23 presented the weekly Canadian County Jail report for the sheriff’s office.
The update showed 219 inmates in custody, with 186 prisoners housed at the El Reno detention center and 33 others being held in contracted counties.
The total count is down four from last week as 57 prisoners await transfer to state Department of Corrections (DOC) custody.
