MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Gov. Kay Ivey recently awarded more than $791,000 in grants to improve public safety in 12 municipalities and seven counties. Local law enforcement agencies receiving funds include the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office (via the Cullman County Commission) and Hanceville Police Department (via the City of Hanceville).
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) is administering the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Justice.
“I appreciate our men and women in law enforcement who dedicate their lives to serving and protecting the public,” Ivey said. “I am pleased to award these grants to help these officers, deputies and personnel carry out their duties more safely and efficiently.”
“Through these grants, police departments and sheriffs’ offices are able to direct funds toward needs they deem important to their agencies,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA is pleased to be a participant in this program.”
Those receiving funds are:
COUNTIES
Cherokee County Commission – $48,300 to purchase personal defense devices
Choctaw County Commission – $49,442 to supply the Sheriff’s Department with a new patrol vehicle (nearly every patrol vehicle in the department’s inventory has been driven more than 100,000 miles, county officials said)
Crenshaw County Commission – $29,849 to purchase body cameras for deputies and corrections officers in the Crenshaw County Sheriff’s Office
Cullman County Commission – $20,910 to purchase a drug incinerator for the sheriff’s department; the incinerator will be used to destroy confiscated illegal and legal drugs after they have been used as evidence
Jackson County Commission – $50,000 to establish a Special Response Team for active-shooter situations. Funds will be used to provide heavy-duty protective gear for officers responding to emergencies in which high-powered weapons may be in use.
Pike County Commission – $50,000 to enable the sheriff’s department to purchase equipment to adapt to a new radio system needed to communicate effectively with other law enforcement agencies in the county
Walker County Commission – $49,456 to purchase body cameras for the sheriff’s department to enhance accountability and transparency in drug arrests and other law enforcement duties
MUNICIPALITIES
Autaugaville – $39,300 to purchase new radios compliant with the newer P25 radio systems used by other nearby law enforcement agencies
Chickasaw – $40,000 to purchase a new patrol vehicle equipped with needed technology for the Chickasaw Police Department
Childersburg – $35,000 to purchase patrol vehicle cameras and other assorted equipment for the Childersburg Police Department
Elberta– $35,000 to purchase eight newer versions of body cameras that have censors which automatically activate when worn by Elberta police officers
Excel – $27,412 to purchase body and vehicle cameras. The three body and two patrol vehicle cameras will offer transparency and accountability of officers
Fort Payne – $50,000 to upgrade the Fort Payne Police Department’s communication system to improve the ability to correspond with each other, the city fire department and medical emergency response personnel
Geneva – $29,752 to enable the Geneva Police Department to purchase a portable narcotics analyzer. The analyzer can quickly identify 500 different types of illegal substances, streamlining criminal investigations and strengthening court cases and convictions
Hanceville – $46,985 to purchase equipment to significantly upgrade the police department’s digital and computer capabilities that will assist the department in investigations and traffic control
Hueytown– $49,715 to purchase mobile license plate recognition technology for the police department to use in locating stolen vehicles and spotting improper or expired vehicle license plate registrations
New Hope – $41,682 to purchase six body cameras and other equipment to be used by officers
Spanish Fort – $49,632 to enhance the abilities of the Baldwin Area Mutual Response Team, a coalition of the police departments in Spanish Fort, Fairhope and Coastal Alabama Community College. The teams share equipment, training and human resources to reduce or solve crimes in the area.
Triana– $48,650 to purchase body cameras and a breath-alcohol testing machine and various other equipment to improve public safety in the community
