DWI ankle monitors on the rise in Boone County

More DWI offenders are wearing ankle bracelets, and now the Boone County court is asking for more funding to help pay for them.

As part of a bond condition, an offender with more than three DWI charges must wear an ankle monitor called A TAD. The monitor measures the alcohol content in sweat and sends the data to the county. Since May, the county has seen an increase in the use of the device.

“In order to just improve community safety, they’re wearing this device, se we can better monitor whether or not they’re drinking,” said Mary Epping, court administrator for 13th circuit.

Court officials are asking the Boone County commission for revenue and expenditure increases in the 2015 budget due to the rise in the monitor’s use. They are asking for approval of a budget amendment totaling $150,000.

The budget increase would pay for the additional ankle monitors upfront, but the offender wearing the device would ultimately be responsible for purchasing it.

A commission vote on the budget amendment has not been scheduled yet.