BOONEVILLE, MS – A city in Mississippi often referred to as “the City of Hospitality” was reportedly granted a healthy bit of hospitality towards its police department, as the Booneville Police Department announced earlier in September the receipt of two grants totaling nearly a million dollars to help with needed equipment and training.
On September 9, the Booneville Police Department announced they’ve been granted approximately $965,000 in funds that will be used toward acquiring new equipment alongside funding for additional training for the department’s officers. The funding reportedly stems from two separate grants, one being a federal COPS Grant and the other the LEO Grant.
Among the agenda items cited by police officials where the grant money will be used include new police vehicles, weapons, computers, body armor, active shooter response equipment, and additional training for resource officers serving area schools.
The COPS Grant is a federally funded initiative led by the Department of Justice which doesn’t require local matching, with the Justice Department describing the program as providing “critical resources that help communities address emerging challenges, enhance officer and community safety, and promote effective, collaborative policing.” As for the LEO Grant, which reportedly composed approximately $215,000 of the grant money, it is a 50/50 state matching grant.
Booneville Police Chief Michael Ramey issued a statement in light of the awarded grant money, emphasizing the importance of using the funding in part to ensure area schools are properly staffed with trained resource officers.
“Our first responsibility is to protect and serve the citizens of Booneville, and that includes doing everything within our ability to protect our children, teachers, and school personnel. Making sure our officers and School Resource Officers have the proper equipment and training to respond to an emergency is a responsibility we take very seriously,” Chief Ramey stated.
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