News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Funding for a new electric security fence to be installed for the White County Sheriff’s Department has been approved.
The request to the county commission includes an additional $28,000 in funds on top of already approved funding for the county. The fence is to be placed around the White County police vehicle lot intended to provide additional security for officers and their vehicles.
An officer representing the Sheriff’s Department said vehicle concerns were from random people crossing their parking lot. He said that there have also been cases of first amendment auditors have also pulled at the handles of patrol cars.
Safety concerns stem from what the officers said was a fatal funnel immediately outside of the door of the Sheriff’s Department squad room. The officer said that that funnel allows potential assailants the opportunity to attack exiting police.
The fence could be put up for about half the price, the officer said, but the process would be longer and strain the Sheriff’s maintenance staff. County Clerks have already been offered to park their vehicles in the same lot as the Sheriff’s Department, the officer said.
In other business, White County commissioners approved a proposed speed limit of 25 miles per hour on Swamp Rd has been passed, officially giving the road a speed limit sign. Chairman Robert McCormick said the motion was proposed after citizens raised concerns regarding the speed of drivers. The root of the concern being that the lack of a speed limit could endanger neighborhood children.
“Most roads in the county aren’t marked,” McCormick said. “If they’re not marked it’s typically 45 miles an hour. So they were needing-, they were wanting it to be a 25-mile-an-hour zone. And they’re small roads, they’re real narrow, so there’s really no middle line or anything like that. So, it’s just mainly for safety.”
Robinson said he hopes the passing will lead people driving through to be aware the speed limit is 25 miles per hour. He said that he hopes that this will encourage them to follow the signs posted, rather than far more dangerous speeds.
