Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded grants totaling $101,025 to allow five law enforcement agencies to purchase new equipment or update existing equipment.
“New equipment can help police officers and sheriff's deputies be better prepared for what they may face on any given day as they work to protect and serve our communities,” Ivey said. “I am pleased to assist these agencies in their efforts to keep their communities safe.”
This latest round of grants is one of many that Ivey has distributed in the past year. Ivey has given over $812,000 in grants for law enforcement since March of 2021, mostly for additional equipment. The money for the grants is provided through federal funds given by the Department of Justice.
The city of Butler in Choctaw County is using $14,034 to purchase dash-mounted video cameras for Butler Police Department patrol vehicles.
The town of Maplesville in Chilton County is using $24,000 to purchase and install three automated license plate readers for the Maplesville Police Department. These devices allow law enforcement agencies to compare plate numbers against those of stolen cars or cars driven by people suspected of being involved in criminal activity.
With $24,000 in grant funds, the city of Tarrant in Jefferson County will purchase digital tablets, printers, and mounting brackets for five patrol vehicles used by the Tarrant Police Department. This will enable the department to manage patrol routes more effectively.
A $14,991 grant to the Etowah County Commission will help start a self-sustainable Digital Forensics Center at the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office. The center will be made available to surrounding agencies for use in criminal investigations. The equipment helps extract and analyze information from cell phones.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) is administering the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Justice. Additional grants to other police and sheriff’s departments will be awarded once applications are processed and reviewed.
“Governor Ivey and ADECA support the efforts of these municipalities and counties to assist their officers and deputies in serving and protecting their communities,” said ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell.
To connect with the reporter of this story, email Craig.Monger@1819News.com
