Liberty County sheriff ’s deputies will be getting a new set of handheld radios to replace those approaching nearly two decades of service.

Commissioners approved a contract to supply the sheriff ’s office with 100 new handheld radios at a cost of just over $300,000. The new radios will replace Motorola versions that are almost 20 years old and no longer under warranty, and also have surpassed their life expectancy. The new radios, Maj. Bill Kirkendall said, are the same now in service with the Hinesville Police Department, Hinesville Fire Department and Liberty County Fire Services.

The highest quote, Kirkendall said, was for nearly $1.1 million. The sheriff ’s office is asking to dedicate a portion of the RedSpeed ticket proceeds to purchase the radios.

A $500,000 grant helped put new radios in the sheriff ’s office vehicles. Sheriff ’s office personnel tested the new radios and aside from the eastern end of the county, where there is not a communications tower, the radios passed their checks.

Kirkendall also told commissioners the sheriff ’s office made 48 arrests for drunk driving in the last quarter.

“That’s the main focus of the HEAT team,” he said, “and they are doing a great job for us.”

Deputies also issued 2,583 traffic citations, with 406 issued to drivers going 15 mph and more over the speed limit.

“That shows we do have a speeding problem,” Kirkendall said.

Citations were given to 112 drivers going to those known as “super speeders,” drivers going 24 mph or more over the speed limit.

“That doesn’t result in a warning,” Kirkendall said. “That’s a citation.”

Kirkendall also reviewed the sheriff ’s office other statistics over the last quarter and said Monday is actually the busiest day for deputies in terms of calls for service.

The sheriff ’s office civil warrants division has been busy, serving 2,114 notices during the most recent quarter. That office is staffed by six deputies and a lieutenant, and Kirkendall said they may need to add to that division’s ranks in the future.

While auto break-ins and burglaries, especially those committed by young people, rise during the summer in Hinesville, Kirkendall said the unincorporated area of the county doesn’t have the same sort of spike in those incidents.

“It’s pretty sporadic,” he said.

Commissioners also approved a contract to conduct an assessment of the Liberty County Jail. The firm of Goodwyn Mills Cawood will perform the study for a cost of approximately $60,000, with special purpose local option sales tax proceeds footing the expense.

The study will evaluate the current building’s security systems, infrastructure and compliance, along with its capacity and ability to handle capacity in the future. The study will identify potential improvements or renovations, or suggest other options.

“If the building is in such bad shape you can’t remodel it, they’ll tell you,” Chief Deputy Al Hagan said.

While the jail has a current capacity of 276, Hagan pointed out the number can change, based on the kind of inmates there are in the jail.

“You have to classify and segregate certain inmates,” he said. “Those are things they will look at and say, ‘this is what you need, not just for today but in the future.’” The Georgia Sheriff ’s Association conducted an assessment of the current Liberty County Jail in 2023. Parts of the jail are approaching 30 years in age.

“We’re having issues right now that are costing quite a bit of money,” Hagan said. “You can get that with a 30-year-old type of building.”

Commissioners are expected to get the jail assessment in November.