Pennsylvania giving more than $3 million to 2 police departments in Centre Region
Pennsylvania will cumulatively provide more than $3 million in grants to two police departments in the Centre Region, the state’s top executive said Thursday.
State College police are slated to receive more than $2.9 million from the Local Law Enforcement Support Program, while Ferguson Township police were awarded more than $230,000.
The borough’s share was the sixth-highest among the nearly 200 recipients of the grants administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
“These grant programs are one more tool in our toolbox to create safer communities across Pennsylvania,” Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement. “With adequate resources, our local law enforcement and investigative offices can better protect and serve.”
Borough spokesperson Kayla Lafferty said the money would be used to equip officers with the latest technology, provide health and wellness programs and new recruitment tools.
The grant is also expected to fund a new records management system used by a regional group of police departments.
Ryan Hendrick, the township police department’s officer-in-charge, said the money would fund “technology-based devices” that would help identify stolen vehicles, missing or wanted people and more.
Priority consideration for the grants was given to areas with high rates of violence or to law enforcement agencies with low clearance rates, a measure of how many crimes are solved.