MPD and LCSD get grants

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September 2, 2010

From staff and wire The Meridian Star The Meridian Star Thu Sep 02, 2010, 06:00 AM CDT

MERIDIAN —

    Each year the Meridian Police Department and the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department receive a joint grant from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to help pay for upgrading equipment used to fight crime.

    Twenty grants worth more than $630,000 have been approved to help city and county law enforcement agencies in Mississippi upgrade law enforcement equipment, according to U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.). The grants to Mississippi police and sheriffs’ departments represent formula grant funding provided through the DOJ Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program.

    This year the MPD and LCSD are to split a $47,613 lump sum that will help enhance their crime fighting ability.

    "We receive this grant funding each year," said LCSD Chief Dep. Ward Calhoun. "We are always appreciative to receive this funding as it helps us to do our jobs more effectively."

    Calhoun said the MPD gets 60 percent of the money while the county will receive 40 percent.

    “Each of these grants is intended to assist law enforcement in Mississippi to fight illegal activities, promote public safety and prosecute crimes. The Byrne grant program is designed to meet the specific needs of cities and counties,” Cochran said.

    MPD Capt. Rick McCary said the funding the department receives will go toward buying new video equipment for the Interstate Criminal Enforcement (ICE) unit and newer model hand held radios in addition to addressing other equipment needs.

    Calhoun said their funds are earmarked for digital radio systems.

     The following law enforcement agencies are also being supported with FY2010 JAG grant funding:

    • City of Vicksburg/ Warren County – $52,471 to purchase one police vehicle with patrol accessories

    • City of Meridian/ Lauderdale County – $47,613 for the city to purchase technology to combat drug-related crime and for the county to enhance its communications capabilities

    • City of Greenville/ Washington County – $47,747 to purchase equipment to improve data-gathering and communications equipment for the city and county

    • Cities of Olive Branch and Southaven – $37,597 for Olive Branch to establish a full-time traffic enforcement unit and Southaven to purchase mobile workstations for patrol units

    • City of Laurel/Jones County – $30,421 to purchase equipment for city and county law enforcement

    • City of Grenada/ Grenada County – $19,135 to purchase equipment

    • City of Starkville/ Oktibbeha County – $11,885 for the city and county to purchase Tasers

    • City of Tupelo – $23,620 to purchase Tasers and related equipment

    • City of Holly Springs – $21,078 to enhance officer safety, retention and equipment

    • City of Ridgeland – $10,240 to retrofit and equip a previously-owned FEMA trailer to become a mobile command center

    • Leflore County – $31,468 to purchase video cameras for patrol units

    • Jackson County – $26,759 to purchase police radios and portable navigation systems for the aerial department

    • Marshall County – $21,676 to purchase and outfit a used patrol vehicle

    • Lowndes County – $19,808 to replace outdated equipment

    • Tunica County – $16,893 to upgrade patrol units with digital recording mobile systems

    • Lee County – $15,996 to update technology and improve data keeping

    • Lamar County – $13,529 to purchase new equipment and upgrade existing equipment

    • Rankin County – $11,810 to purchase portable radios

    • Panola County – $11,511 to purchase technology upgrades, including hand-held radios, laptop computers and website development

    • Madison County – $10,838 to purchase in-car laptops

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