Cascade County Commissioners approved an agreement with LeadsOnline to operate and maintain electronic reporting and criminal investigation systems, primarily to assist in the recovery of stolen property that moves through pawn shops across multiple jurisdictions.

The agreement was approved during the Aug. 13 meeting and includes an initial $2,823.63 cost with an annual $3,227 fee. The agreement runs through 2023.

The City of Great Falls requires pawn shops within the city limits to enter data of pawned items, but the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office didn’t have access to the data.

LeadsOnline requires each agency to have its own license to access the software.

The county doesn’t require pawn shops to enter data, but with CCSO access to the system, county law enforcement can access data of items reported stolen in their cases. The LeadsOnline system includes data from across the state and other jurisdictions, giving law enforcement a better chance of recovering stolen property, according to CCSO officials.

“It’s a really good tool for us to get stolen property back,” Sheriff Jesse Slaughter told commissioners during their Aug. 7 work session.

Undersheriff Cory Reeves told commissioners he was “a little shocked we didn’t have this already at the sheriff’s office.”