Henderson County invests in law enforcement, buys The Rook

Henderson County Commissioners Court selected engineering firm Kitchell last week to review projected energy savings from proposed upgrades to the Henderson County Jail following an audit of that facility.

In September 2022, the County contracted with McKinstry, a company that provides energy management, engineering, and design services, to assess the jail's water usage and HVAC system. The goal was to identify opportunities to reduce operation and maintenance costs.

McKinstry provided a report to Commissioners Court in March 2023 and proposed about $3.1 million in improvements that it says will save the County nearly $350,000 a year in utility and operations costs.

Before moving forward with McKinstry’s proposals, state law requires a third-party review of the energy savings McKinstry says are possible.

“What this company is going to do is just review the information that McKinstry has given us so we can be sure that information is accurate,” said Pct. 3 Commissioner Chuck McHamm.

THE ROOK

County Judge Wade McKinney said the utility review at the Jail is the latest action by the County in an ongoing effort to “invest in our law enforcement.” Another is the recent purchase by the Sheriff’s Office of an armored response vehicle named “The Rook.”

According to Sheriff Botie Hillhouse, The Rook is an armored vehicle based on a skid steer platform that comes with several special attachments for dangerous situations. The Rook, attachments and a gooseneck trailer for deploying the apparatus costs about $400,000.

The Sheriff’s Office tried to get The Rook through a grant but was denied. Instead of quitting there, other County offices got involved to ensure law enforcement got the equipment.

“This is a game changer in keeping our folks safe,” said Sheriff Hillhouse. “I am very thankful to the audit office for their help in getting it and the Commissioner’s Court for approving the purchase. We are the only agency in East Texas with this type of equipment right now.”

The Rook joins the improvements to the Jail, the purchase of a new building near the Jail, the approval for hiring more deputies, and increased pay for deputies as recent investments Commissioners Court has made in the Sheriff’s Office.

“And every bit of that investment comes without debt,” said Judge McKinney.