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Sheriffs salivate over goodies

But it was tech gadgets, not doughnuts, that they were sizing up at the National Sheriffs' Association convention.

By JONATHAN ABEL
Published June 21, 2006

ORLANDO - For law-and-order tough guys, sheriffs sure like to shop.

Tuesday, during the National Sheriffs' Association annual meeting, they ambled through the exhibit hall, some in uniforms, others in shorts, all carrying bags to haul off freebies.

"It's like Christmas shopping. You come and see what you like and wish you had a bigger budget," said Sheriff Kirk Smith of Washington County in Utah, who had three bags at his side.

In Orlando, he joined 394 sheriffs and about 1,400 deputies and spouses from across the country - including Pinellas, Pasco and Citrus - for four days of seminars, handshaking and shopping.

"I hate shopping with my wife, but this is stuff that's going to help me with work," said Sgt. Victor Payne of Orange County. "I like seeing gizmos because technology is progressing, whereas clothes is clothes. You just change the colors."

Payne ran his hand over the trunk of a new Chevrolet Impala police cruiser. He plumped the seat and praised the extra head room.

Across the exhibit hall - past the latest in road spikes, nonincendiary flares and bulletproof clothing - a crowd of deputies gathered around the PatrolSimIV driving simulator.

A seat and a steering wheel were surrounded by three giant television screens, which simulate what it's like to cruise the streets in a cop car.

Deputy Shawn McCoy of Brevard County sat down, and the rain started almost immediately. The screen dimmed. Then came the snow.

He dodged pedestrians as he buzzed by in his high-speed pursuit, but the session ended abruptly when a car came barreling in from his right. The red letters C-O-L-L-I-S-I-O-N flashed across the screen.

Rick Bracewell, a trainer and salesman for the $100,000 device, said it cuts the accident rate by 26 percent and every department needs one.

"We do all this firearm training, but most cops are either killed or injured or sued from car accidents," he said.

Sheriff Gabriel Morgan of Newport News, Va., was looking at the specs for a modular jail by Sprung Instant Structures. With a jail that's 300 percent overcrowded, Morgan said this shopping experience was all business.

"This is the second vendor that could address the overcrowding," he said.

The conference began on Sunday and stretches through today. It includes seminars, banquets and the exhibition hall. That cavernous room turned into a circus tent.

Colored lights flashed from various police devices. An announcer called out the names of raffle winners as she gave away iPods, gift bags and a $2,500 grand prize.

Seasoned shoppers that they are, most sheriffs don't come to the exhibit with lists and they don't leave hauling away helicopters or armored personnel carriers.

The idea is to survey the crop of new gizmos so that when a need arises they know where to go.

Jonathan Abel can be reached at jabel@sptimes.com or 352 754-6114.

[Last modified June 21, 2006, 06:31:26]