FSPD receives two grants

With the finishing of some final paperwork, the Fort Scott Police Department will receive nearly $75,000 in grant money.

During Tuesday evening's Fort Scott City Commission meeting, commissioners accepted a grant from the Kansas Wireless Enhanced 911 Advisory Board in the amount of $50,709. According to FSPD Chief Ron Puterbaugh, the money will be used to upgrade the department's current computers and telephone equipment that are used to help determine the origin of emergency calls.

"Basically, it is to upgrade our ability to map where our 911 calls are coming from that are wireless in nature," Puterbaugh said. "It's an upgrade that should give us better accuracy."

In 2001, the department's computer and phone equipment was upgraded to be able to map wireless 911 calls. Puterbaugh said the equipment is useful for people in rural areas who are unable to give an exact location. He said the current system works but the grant will help improve the accuracy.

"It's an upgrade in the service people have come to expect," he said.

During the commission meeting, Fort Scott Mayor Gary Bukowski signed an agreement with Bourbon County regarding the acceptance of a Justice Assistance Grant.

According to Puterbaugh, the agreement basically states that Bourbon County agrees that the FSPD is receiving the money and that the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office is not eligible to use the money.

The money for the grant was available from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and comes in the amount of $27,500. Puterbaugh said the money will be used to purchase seven new digital cameras for the officers to document crime scenes, a card identification system for the officers, a new surveillance camera, upgrades to 10 mobile radios in the patrol cars as well as five hand-held radios, seven new gun racks to be placed in patrol cars, and 12 new tires for the patrol cars.