CPD awarded $147,000 in grants from Homeland, NRA
The Clinton Police Department (CPD) and its Explosive Ordnance Disposal team received $147,359 in grants from Mississippi Homeland Security and the National Rifle Association Foundation, which the Board of Aldermen recently voted to accept.
“It’s that time of year when our Homeland Security grants are coming through this Board,” CPD Chief Hayman explained. Each year, CPD typically receives $50,000 from MS Homeland Security to use for operational costs, such as the building lease, communication equipment and training. This year, the department received an additional $30,000 on this grant. The department has a trailer used for heavy equipment, but the truck the department had to pull the trailer was not adequate.
“Homeland asked us to turn the truck in; they purchased it for us,” Hayman said. “They gave us an additional $30,000 grant to purchase a truck that is adequate for moving [hauling] the trailer.”
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An additional grant of $63,359 from MS Homeland Security is for the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team to purchase a Smart X-Ray piece of equipment, which will aid the bomb squad in identifying suspicious packages. Hayman said the CPD is getting quotes on the machine, which will use the major portion of this grant.
The NRA Foundation provided a $4,000 grant for the department to purchase EM Peltor COMTAC communication headsets for the CPD SWAT team.
“For the last couple of years, we have had this grant awarded. They specifically asked us what additional equipment we need,” Hayman said, adding that the department asked for communication equipment. “We asked for $8,000, and we were awarded $4,000, which is specifically earmarked for this communication equipment, which will be used in a tactical environment.”
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The equipment, which attaches to a helmet, will allow various team leaders in the department to communicate with each other.
