Butler County commissioners agreed Wednesday to accept a state grant for a new regional booking system, but issued a stern warning that the county court system should not expect funding for the program from the county's general operating budget.

Commissioners had tabled a vote two weeks earlier on the matter because of a variety of questions and concern about municipal support for the idea of establishing two booking centers -- one in Cranberry and one in Butler.

Deputy Court Administrator Michael Noyes brought several police chiefs to last week's meeting in support of the proposal. Also, Butler, Cranberry, Jackson, Lancaster and Butler Township had written letters of support for the project to commissioners.

Under the proposal, a $152,728 grant from the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency will be used to buy fingerprint and photo-imaging machines to be placed at booking sites in the Cranberry Police Department and the Butler Police Department. The Butler site would be shifted to the new county jail when it is built.

Dr. Noyes, who has a doctorate in criminology, said not all suspects charged with summary violations would have to be fingerprinted, as he had told commissioners previously.

He said only defendants who are charged with felonies and misdemeanors will be fingerprinted and most will do so on a scheduled basis, not requiring a police escort except in the most serious of alleged crimes. Only those defendants charged with summary offenses that automatically turn into misdemeanors at the second offense, such as shoplifting and writing bad checks, will be required to undergo fingerprinting.

Dr. Noyes said he expects no municipalities will face additional costs because of the new booking system, and no municipality will be required to participate.

Dr. Noyes said the program will not cost as much as had previously announced. He had said the county would receive a $214,977 grant and would have to match it with $37,645. Instead, the county will receive $152,728 and will have to match it with $38,182. He said the matching dollars will come from an adult supervision fee that is levied by the court system on all defendants who participate in the county's probation program.

Commissioner James Kennedy questioned whether that is a legitimate use of the fee, and demanded Dr. Noyes produce a letter from the state saying it is. Dr. Noyes assured him the funds can be used and said he would obtain the letter.

Dr. Noyes said the annual costs of operating the program would be about $18,000. He had said previously that a $100 fee would be levied on each county defendant who is convicted to pay for the system. Last week, he said the courts haven't decided whether to levy a fee or, how much it should be.

No start date was given for the program.

Voting in favor were Commissioners Scott Lowe and James Kennedy. Commissioner Glenn Anderson was absent due to illness.