Region law enforcement agencies receive state public safety grants

MONTGOMERY — More than a half-dozen law enforcement agencies in North Alabama are sharing nearly $300,000 in grants to improve public safety.

The grants, part of a $791,000 statewide package announced by Gov. Kay Ivey, will enable police and sheriffs’ departments in those jurisdictions to purchase equipment or participate in practices that will help them better serve their communities.

“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.”

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Justice.

“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:

• Cherokee County Commission – $48,300 to purchase personal defense devices.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• New Hope – $41,682 to purchase six body cameras and other equipment to be used by officers.
• Triana – $48,650 to purchase body cameras and a breath-alcohol testing machine and various other equipment to improve public safety in the community.