The City of Licking Police Department was one of 116 statewide law enforcement agencies to receive grant money to purchase equipment.
Gov. Jay Nixon announced last week that law enforcement agencies across Missouri will share more than $817,000 in grants to obtain essential law enforcement equipment to increase officer and public safety. Funding provided by the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance will pay for ballistic vests, squad car light bars, sirens, in-car cameras and police radios.
Licking received six light bars/lights valued at $1,561.
“Protecting the men and women of law enforcement, who risk their lives every day to protect the people of Missouri, is one my highest priorities,” Nixon said. “This money will supply essential equipment such as bulletproof vests, radios and in-car cameras to 116 agencies across Missouri, in rural areas and in the largest metropolitan areas of the state.”
A total of $817,235 in federal Local Law Enforcement Block Grants is being awarded. They are limited to a maximum of $9,000 and require a 10 percent local match. Grant recipients may choose, however, to pay for equipment expenses more than $10,000.
“I talk with the state’s law enforcement leaders and rank-and-file officers on a daily basis,” Department of Public Safety Director John M. Britt said. “I know in these economic times there is a real need for this assistance, which helps protect officers and strengthen public safety.”