A new river patrol boat, updated Tasers, rifle-rated body armor, and tactical response equipment are among the purchases planned for the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office after it received $796,528 in federal funding through a congressional appropriations bill.
The funding was secured through the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program following passage of H.R. 6938 and was included in the bill by U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie. The project was proposed jointly by Sheriff Brad Youngman and Daviess County Judge-Executive Charlie Castlen.
“This project is about improving our ability to meet the needs of the community without overburdening Daviess Countians with additional funding requests at the county level,” Youngman said.
Youngman said the effort began in 2024 after Castlen contacted him about a public safety funding opportunity that Guthrie’s office was seeking to allocate across counties in the district. At the time, Youngman said, he had already begun outlining long-term goals for the Sheriff’s Office but was cautious about including essential needs in the request.
“We didn’t want to put anything that was very, very important to us in this project, because we didn’t know for sure we would get the money,” he said. “I did put some things in this project that we could use down the road if the funding wasn’t approved, but fortunately, it was.”
One of the most immediate needs addressed by the funding is the replacement of Tasers currently used by the Sheriff’s Office. Youngman said the devices are 15 to 20 years old and have been declared obsolete by the manufacturer, making repairs impossible.
Meanwhile, the river patrol boat will allow the Sheriff’s Office to respond independently to incidents on the Ohio River, which accounts for approximately 18 square miles of Daviess County. Youngman said the department responds each year to water emergencies, suicides, drug complaints, and other incidents on the river, despite not currently having a dedicated law enforcement vessel.
Youngman added that the Sheriff’s Office does not intend to patrol the river daily and emphasized that enforcement is not the focus.
“This is not about increasing enforcement actions within the boating community, but about having the ability to respond safely and independently rather than relying on borrowed boats,” he said. “When there are hundreds of people on the water in the warmer months, that’s when your need kind of goes up. We’re simply going to be out there to assist them in any emergency situation and be seen, not going after them and trying to regulate their activities.”
Additional equipment funded through the grant will enhance deputy safety and investigative capabilities, including an automated vehicle identification system for data-driven investigations into stolen vehicles and wanted fugitives. Tactical equipment will also support a joint Sheriff’s Office and Daviess County Detention Center team for high-risk incidents such as hostage situations, barricaded subjects, and high-risk warrant service.
“This is a big step for our Sheriff’s Office. We have been working hard to put ourselves in the best position to respond to the evolving needs of our community,” Youngman said. “This funding enables us to jump several years ahead in our plans, and I am very grateful to Congressman Guthrie and Judge Executive Castlen for making this possible.”
Youngman said he expects to meet with representatives from Guthrie’s office in the coming weeks to finalize spending guidelines and begin the bidding process.
“I’d say we’ll probably see something within a month or two, hopefully start having some things arrive here,” he said. “It seemed like a long time to wait, but when you’re talking about that amount of money and the impact it’ll make on our community, it’s definitely well worth the wait.”
