Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
The Warsaw Police Department will complete the computerization of its patrol cars thanks to a $19,545 grant from federal government.
The funds are issued through the U.S. Department of Justice under the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant Program. Funds awarded under the program are used to hire additional local law enforcement personnel or to procure equipment and technology directly related to law enforcement functions.
"This is the third year we have received (federal) grant money for putting computers in our patrol cars," said Warsaw Police Chief Craig Allebach. "We anticipate using these funds for the purchase of interface equipment to help us complete that project."
In announcing the local grant awards last week, Rep. Steve Buyer (R-Kokomo) said the program was approved by Congress to help smaller communities meet the increasing costs the technology needed to provide effective law enforcement.
"Crime is an increasing problem in rural America. In smaller police departments it is becoming more and more challenging to respond to the increasing demand placed upon law enforcement," Buyer said. "These grants will be helpful to these communities in their efforts to combat crime."
Allebach said WPD used the grant money to acquire technology by being able to provide matching money for other grant programs, as well as direct purchase of new equipment.
"By using this and other grant programs, we have really been able to reduce our costs in acquiring new technologies," Allebach said. "This has really pushed our program of getting state-of-the-art technologies ahead."
Statewide, local law enforcement agencies received more than $8 million in block grants for the 1998 fiscal year, Buyer said.
