May 29, 2025 - The Shelby County Commissioners allowed for the purchase of cell phone data extraction equipment and the potential for countywide video monitoring during their meeting held May 14, 2025.
D.J. Dickerson, District Attorney Investigator, spoke with the commissioners about the digital system from Magnet Forensics which would allow for the extraction of cell phone data at a cost of $29,530.60 split three ways between the county, District Attorney’s office and Center Police Department.
“This system is one that's going to help analyze and extract data from cell phones, and that's one of the things that we use a lot in this county. Every law enforcement agency in the United States or abroad uses this kind of software,” said Dickerson.
Dickerson said there are currently 10 cell phones with search warrants on them; however, there isn’t anywhere to take them to access their data. They can be taken ton Lufkin, which takes two hours round trip and engages the time of one person from whatever agency for that time.
“We have 10 sitting waiting and that's on murders, that's on child sex crimes. So it's very important that we are able to do this,” said Dickerson.
He elaborated that they don’t want to backlog Lufkin PD, who has been generous and not charged anything, but that Panola County and San Augustine also have similar systems.
Dickerson further explained it would be very beneficial to manpower and in accessing the evidence needed to make cases and analyze the digital data from cell phones.
County Judge Allison Harbison stated she presented a couple of different options to the commissioners on funding, and she inquired of County Attorney John Price if they would need to find out if Karren Price, District Attorney, would like to use the forfeiture fund to pay for part of the purchase.
County Attorney Price answered to the affirmative that DA Price would be willing to do that.
“This is a vital part of law enforcement these days. It's absolutely essential for prosecutors and law enforcement to have access to this type of equipment and information and it’s becoming more and more prevalent every day,” said Price.
Judge Harbison asked Sheriff Gerald Corbell if he had any input to add on the subject.
“Just like the DA Investigator said, and of course our attorney, this is a vital part of many investigations in this county,” said Corbell. “We cannot move forward without this when technology has moved forward in such a fashion that all of our evidence that we need is within this technology and we have to have the means to obtain that evidence.”
As discussion continued over the three-way split on payment for the program, Investigator Dickerson said that he had been in contact with Nicholas Camacho at Magnet Forensics and he explained there could be a possibility of an increase in cost of 7% at the high end, but that would be unlikely.
“He said looking forward with the essentials package and also called axion it would be a total of $18,222.10 and both of those had at least a high end of 7% increase in the next budget year and that would be for the 12-month license renewal.”
Dickerson said that's what they would be looking at going forward, but that does not include any additional training packages for additional forensic examiners that would take classes.
For the training price tag of $14,000, Commissioner Roscoe McSwain asked who all would be trained in the equipment. Investigator Dickerson said that he would be trained on behalf of the District Attorney’s office and the Sheriff’s Department would choose someone from their office.
McSwain also asked how much data storage was available, what would happen if it were to be used up.
“With the system that we're, you know, potentially buying is, it's unlimited dumps,” said Dickerson. “Okay, it's unlimited. The one that we're getting is absolutely unlimited. You can get as many extractions as you want. The only thing that's limited is the number of what's called brute force extractions.”
Investigator Dickerson explained that a brute force extraction is if someone decides not to provide their passcode when a search warrant is served. Law enforcement would have 30 of what are called action credits, which cover that brute force activity. Dickerson doesn’t expect they would ever reach or exceed the 30 credits in a 12-month time period.
Clint Porterfield, County Auditor, asked if the cost would be split three ways going forward and Investigator Dickerson agreed that it would. Porterfield asked if there wouldn’t need to be some written agreement to that affect.
The proposed plan was for entity to pay $9,843.53. Auditor Porterfield confirmed that means 1/3 of the cost out of the Contingency fund, 1/3 out of the DA Forfeiture fund, and 1/3 from the City of Center PD.
“I see this as a good tool for transparency and privacy too, because what’s going on right now is not right,” said Commissioner McSwain. “Too much information being on Facebook and people running their mouths.”
Commissioner Tom Bellmyer moved to go into an agreement with Magnetic Forensics and pay in the way that Auditor Porterfield outlined. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Shannon Metcalf and it carried.
The Court discussed the Racial Profiling report for Constable Precinct 5, Josh Tipton, and it was confirmed he had reported in January.
Commissioner Bellmyer moved to accept the report. Commissioner Stevie Smith seconded the motion and it carried.
The court discussed lighting in the county jail, for which the state previously had written the jail up. Scooter Clark with 4C Electrical and Tiffany Ryals, Jail Administrator, explained what the project involves.
Commissioner McSwain moved to repair the light fixtures in the County Jail at an amount of $36,769.80, out of Courthouse Repairs to complete the project as quoted by 4C Electrical Services. Commissioner Bellmyer seconded the motion, and it carried.
The commissioners discussed the 2025 Shelby County Resolution on Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority which provides grant funds to law enforcement agencies for the prevention of motor vehicle theft.
“What we're looking at using this for is purchasing license plate reader cameras. You might have noticed on [US] 96 South at the county line there’s one on a pole,” said Mike Hanson, Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy. “We can sit here and talk for hours on the success stories with these cameras.”
Chief Hanson stated the grant is distributed through TxDOT, the Sheriff’s Department is planning to place 11 cameras around the county for monitoring purposes, at $3,000 each annually. Chief Hanson referenced a recent incident on U.S. Highway 96 South where an object was thrown into the windshield of a truck tractor.
Chief Hanson said there was little to go on, but once they had some detail, license plate reader located at the San Augustine County line caught two images of a suspect vehicle.
“With these cameras they don’t guaranty two lanes of pictures if it’s 70 mph or greater,” said Chief Hanson. “If it’s Farm-to-Market Road, 55 something like that they guaranty that it’ll do two lanes.”
Chief Hanson described the cameras as being able to receive input on particular vehicles, as well as the ability to share access to the cameras with other law enforcement agencies. Hanson related that the cameras have been helpful nationwide in locating murder suspects.
Rusk County recently purchased 24 cameras, according to Chief Hanson, and part of the main focus of the cameras will be in Center.
“Everybody is coming to Walmart sooner or later, or they’re going down 96 through the middle of Center, we’re looking at maybe having two cameras in Center,” said Hanson.
Commissioner Tom Bellmyer moved to go forward on the grant application requested by the Sheriff’s Office. Commissioner McSwain seconded the motion and it carried.
The meeting then adjourned into executive session at 10:25am.
Remaining with the commissioners for the executive session were Sheriff Gerald Corbell, Chief Mike Hanson, County Auditor Clint Porterfield, County Attorney John Price, and Kim Ratcliff, Sheriff’s Department Administrative Assistant.
The meeting returned to open session at 11:30am and Commissioner Bellmyer moved to approve request for a county employee to take some time out of the sick pool in the amount of 205 hours for that employee. The motion was seconded by Commissioner McSwain and it carried.
The meeting adjourned at 11:34am.
Agenda items approved during the meeting include: 1. Minutes of: April 2nd Special Meeting, April 9th Regular Meeting, April 16th Special Meeting, April 23rd Special Meeting and April 30th Special Meeting. 2. Pay weekly expenses. 3. Officers Report. 4. Racial Profile Report for Constable PCT 5, Josh Tipton. 5. Accept a donation of concrete from KLN Contractors for Shelby County. 6. Take action on purchasing a digital system from Magnet Forensics, to use in investigations that require extraction of phones, for the cost of $29,530.60. 7. Take action on repairing the light fixtures in the County Jail and approve the quote from 4C Electrical Services in the amount of $36,769.80, to complete the project. 8. The 2025 Shelby County Resolution of Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority which provides grant funds to law enforcement agencies for the prevention of motor vehicle theft. 9. Executive Session - request for a county employee to take some time out of the sick pool in the amount of 205 hours for that employee. 10. Adjourn 11:34am.
