SANDPOINT — Bonner County Sheriff Daryl Wheeler and county commissioners are at odds over funding for equipment upgrades in the department.

Wheeler asked the board for the authority to transfer $40,000 from the jail’s salary budget to cover a shortfall in operating funds as the fiscal year draws to a close. Wheeler also sought similar authority to shift $158,000 in surplus salaries in his office to upgrade some of the department’s aging and substandard equipment.

The salary surpluses in the jail and sheriff’s budget result from vacant positions in the two departments.

Commissioners agreed on Tuesday to transfer unused salary funding to pay for inmate food, transportation costs involving people detained on mental holds and a shortage in fuel funding for that department. The majority of the board, however, balked at the $158,000 transfer for sheriff’s office equipment.

Topping the list of needs are replacing outmoded desktop computers with ones that can access state and federal databases, more in-car video recording systems for patrol vehicles, surveillance gear for narcotics agents and more current radar units for speed enforcement.

Undersheriff Bob Bussey told commissioners that the existing radar units, many of which are hand-me-downs from Idaho State Police, are too old to be calibrated.

“The majority of those radars are 15-plus years old,” he said.

Only a half-dozen of the department’s 28 patrol rigs are wired for video and Wheeler is hoping to boost that number by 10. Sheriff’s officials emphasized that the cameras protect deputies from false accusations and the county from liability, while strengthening court cases.

Wheeler added that surrounding law-enforcement agencies are camera-equipped.

“They have the equipment to do their job and I’m saying we do not,” said Wheeler, who contended the sheriff’s office is the “red-headed stepchild” of the county when it comes to funding.

Commission Chairman Joe Young said he could support funding for new PCs, radars and fuel, but was unconvinced the other equipment purchases — which also included new carpeting and desks — being contemplated were justifiable under the current economic conditions.

“There’s not a crisis. This isn’t a crisis,” Young said, referring to the equipment list. Some of the items on the list were enhancements that the board denied in an earlier budget workshop.

Commissioner Cornel Rasor said he was comfortable with the transfer and Wheeler’s discretion on the prioritization on his department’s needs.

“I do not want to micro-manage the sheriff,” Rasor said.

Commissioner Lewie Rich moved to table the sheriff’s request for further discussion on Friday.

“I can’t support the entirety of the list,” Rich said.