Police land federal grant

By By Leada Gore, Hartselle Enquirer
Communication between officers with the Hartselle Police Department and dispatchers will soon be even better.
Hartselle was notified last week its request for a grant to fund a wireless network for law enforcement officers was approved. The city will receive $250,000 to pay for the project.
Earlier grant funds paid for laptops to be installed in each patrol car. The current network uses cell phone technology but the wireless connections will be more stable and accommodate more information. In the future, the network could be used to allow officers to send live video back to dispatchers.
Eventually, the technology could also be used by other departments, such as the Building Department. The technology would allow inspectors to file in-field reports through the city’s own network, as opposed to returning to city hall to complete paperwork.
The grant comes through the federal Office of Community Oriented Policing Services and is part of more than $658 million in grant funds.
The federal grant wasn’t the only good financial news the city received this week.
The Alabama Depart-ment of Transportation notified the city that phase three of the downtown renovation plan will be funded through federal stimulus money. This eliminates the need for matching funds, saving the city some $141,500.
The grant will complete the installation of awnings and new lighting in downtown and will complete more than two years of construction.