OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Honorable W. P. Hurnm, Jr.
Oounty Auditor
wbllbr county
Henpstaad, Tcxars
Dear Sir: cplnion No. O-7161
Rer Whether the Comzlerionsrs' Court ot
Sallsr County is lega
to oq%ti~ iCs sheriff'
with a maehino gun,
same, tear gas bo
radlo,end other
II (a), Yernoa*s Annotated
l.n part ad follarr81
of ssoh month of him tenure of oftloe,
d berein who ie oompensa$rid on a fee bests
rt of the report now required by law, an
am ot6takuent of all t&e aotual and neoelrsary
d by hlla in the oonduet ot his office such
tamps, telephone, premlu@ WA ofriolalr'
the cost or surety bonds for his deputies,
prenlun on fire, burglary, theft, robbery insurenoe protect-
ing public finds, traveling expenses, and other neoassarg
expenses; provided, that In addition to the orfioara named
herein, the oountp treasurer, county auditor, county road
aotissionere, county scrhool superintendent, and the hide
and a&ma1 inspeotor shall llkewlse ruake a report on the
premiums on offfoiala* bonds, inalubingthe boat 0r surety
bond6 for any dsputiea, an4 said premiums shall be aubjeot
to payment out of the feet3 of said offlae, as herein othemise
~HOII
. W. P. Hems, Jr., page 2
psovlded for the officer8 named; and provided further
that If any of the officers 80 designated are on a salary
rather than a fee Baels, then ell suoh bond premium for
officers and their deputies shal,l be paid from the General
Fund of the county. The Commlsslonera Court of the county
of the eberlfr~s rosldence may, .upon the written and sworn
applloatlon or the eherlff rtatlngthe neceselty therefor,
purohaer equipment for a Bureau of Crlnlnal Ilentlfloatlon
such ae cameras, fingerprint oarda, inks, chemloals, mloro-
soopee ) radio and 1aboreDory aqulpmant, filing cards, filing
oablnets, tear gae, and other equipment in keeping with the
syetem In uee by the Department of Public Sarety of this
State or the United Staten Department of Juatlaa and/or
Bureau of Criminal IdentIfloatIon. . . .*
We ert lnfonmd by the Departuent of Publlo Safety
of Texas that the Iteaus of equipment named by you are ln keeping
with the 8yutei& ai law enforwamnt In uao by l~lid Departmnt ,.
end that suoh Itams are In rdot boi;oe tueb by the Dspartmant of
PublIo Sototy. We think the ebovo q\roted statute sufiloiantly
broad to authorI the Ocm&sIon8ra* Oourt of Wailer Oouaty,
;gn roper a~3qM8atIon threfor, to purdhaso t&d equlpaent
tl e u80 o? the 8harIfF8 d8partmat. It Ia thmnfon our
*~
::r 0p+
:::_
.iy’i:‘:~
a uth o *Iiid,
tad ~.
the,
up oth G,~w~wo~~~~~:..~o~,
n:: rer Ith ud ao r r lor warn
op rp nlio st,o
o*
cl0wty *
thn i
e ,
8herIff of Weller County stating t her neaesrl~y therefor, to
purehare. a meohino #gun, aBmwnItIon ior w tear gal bombs,
aqa two-my radlo. for the we, 0r raid sheriff~8 departsant.
We am not sure whet you awan by the expresslon *other
8imilar~~equipment,~and therriora are not In a po8i~ion to anEwer
your qUe8tiOn a8 k, ,llWh othir ~UipJ#Ont.
Yours very truly .~
AT!i’ORtmyORHERAL QY TEXAS
APPii~VED H#&3 22, 1945, Blr
(allpea) y. a. As&RR
(Slmed) QROVI%SELLRR9 iU8i8tWt
ATTORNXY tRXifW& OB ‘L%xAs
WRAIRLT
Am
AP?RCvEDOpinion Comm.Ittsr
By MS Chairman