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Kentucky Awards Grants To Combat Terrorism, Benton To Get SWAT Vehicles

Sergey Kuzmin
/
123rf Stock Photo

The Kentucky Office of Homeland Security is awarding nearly $467,000 in federal grants to communities in west Kentucky as part of a statewide effort to combat terrorism.

Governor Matt Bevin’s office said Tuesday the grants in west Kentucky will go toward the purchase of medical equipment for first responders, explosive device mitigation equipment and SWAT vehicles.

The City of Benton is getting $280,000 to purchase ‘multipurpose special operations vehicles.’ Jefferson and Fayette counties were also given grants to purchase SWAT vehicles. The vehicles will be used regionally to support operations outside of city borders, according to the release.

Though Madisonville and Georgetown are slated to receive funds for SWAT equipment, it is not specified if those funds will go towards vehicles.  

For the 2019 federal fiscal year, KOHS will administer $2,869,600 in U.S. Department of Homeland Security grants to city and county governments, fire protection districts and area development districts in Kentucky to purchase first responder equipment, communications equipment and critical infrastructure protection.

A major focus this year involves increasing resources to deter, respond to and mitigate potential complex coordinated attacks to Kentucky.

Below is a complete list of the grants in west Kentucky:

  • City of Kuttawa- detection equipment for first responders- $19,000
  • City of Paducah- explosive device mitigation equipment for first responders - $63,500
  • Caldwell County- medical equipment for first responders- $31,000
  • Graves County- medical equipment for first responders- $21,000
  • Marshall County-medical equipment for first responders- $52,000
  • City of Madisonville- SWAT equipment for first responders- $27,000
  • City of Benton- SWAT vehicles- $280,000

Taylor is a recent Murray State University graduate where she studied journalism and history. When she's not reporting for WKMS, she enjoys creative writing and traveling. She loves writing stories that involve diversity, local culture and history, nature and recreation, art and music, and national or local politics. If you have a news tip or idea, shoot her an email at tinman1@murraystate.edu!