MONTGOMERY – Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded a $24,000 grant to assist the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office in reducing crime and drugs in the county.
Funds will be used to purchase a hand-held analyzer that can identify more than 400 different types of drugs, including illegal substances.
“Our law enforcement officers so often serve as a critical line of protection between law-abiding citizens and criminals,” Gov. Ivey said. “This equipment will give deputies and investigators a useful tool in protecting the public and enhancing their own safety.”
The analyzer can be used on site and provide immediate results, eliminating the need for substances to undergo laboratory analysis. It can determine controlled substances like narcotics, stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens and analgesics. Evidence taken can be used in court to obtain convictions.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available by the U.S. Justice Department. ADECA has awarded numerous grants to law enforcement agencies across Alabama to purchase equipment that those local agencies deem essential to their needs.
“ADECA is proud to be a partner with Gov. Ivey in helping the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office acquire this valuable tool in combating crime,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said.
ADECA administers an array of programs supporting law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, energy conservation, water resource management and recreation development.
Gov. Ivey notified Dean Smith, chairman of the Coffee County Commission, that the grant had been approved.
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