MONTGOMERY – The Limestone County Commission and city of Muscle Shoals will share a portion of $400,000 in grants for law enforcement training equipment and drug treatment resources.
Gov. Kay Ivey awarded the grants among nine counties through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program. The program provides funding for a wide range of endeavors including law enforcement training, technology improvement, drug treatment programs and many other components of the justice system.
The local recipients and the amount of the grants are:
Limestone County Commission, $97,552. The county will use the funds from this grant to purchase two narcotics scanners that are able to identify different types of drugs with a single test. The county will also obtain virtual reality technology for law enforcement training on de-escalating volatile situations.
City of Muscle Shoals, $72,500. The Muscle Shoals Police Department will use this grant to purchase virtual reality training equipment to improve responses in crisis intervention situations.
“Our law enforcement officers work around the clock to protect and serve our communities, and these grants will fund projects that will make conditions safer for everyone involved in law enforcement encounters, including the officers themselves,” Ivey said. “I commend everyone involved in bringing these projects to fruition.”
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants with funds made available by the U.S. Department of Justice.
“Technological advancements have made it possible to safely recreate actual scenarios law enforcement officers might encounter while serving their communities,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “I join Gov. Ivey in support of the equipment, training and resources these grants will provide.”
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