The county commissioners on Wednesday, April 24, agreed to buy a handheld device prison guards, deputy sheriffs, probation officers and police can use to detect and identify drugs.

Commissioners approved the $101,426 purchase of a mass spectrometer chemical detection system and supplies from 980 Devices of Boston, Massachusetts. The device will be kept in the Butler County prison.

To buy the device, the commissioners are taking 65% of the cost from opioid settlement funds and 35% from American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Use of the device is expected to facilitate treatment for offenders and safety for corrections officers, deputy sheriffs, probation officers and all police in the county, said District Attorney Rich Goldinger.

It could also result in an offender being placed in the county’s Law Enforcement Treatment Initiative program, Goldinger said. The LETI program diverts offenders to addiction treatment.

In addition, the commissioners approved a pass-through contract agreement with the Victim Outreach Intervention Center, which will apply for a $62,500 grant to fund part of the salaries and benefits for an assistant district attorney and detective for three years.

VOICe will apply to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency for the grant.

In unrelated business, county officials opened six bids submitted for construction of a third of a mile loop trail for people with disabilities around the multiuse field at Alameda Park. The bids were tabled and will be reviewed.

The lowest total bid was $96,605 from Stonewall Excavation of Evans City and the high bid was $199,939 from Murin and Murn Inc. of Glassport. Each bid contained alternate bids for connecting the trail to different locations in the park.

If construction begins this year, it will be in the fall, said Lance Welliver, parks and recreation director.