Area law enforcement agencies plan to spend $610,557 in federal stimulus funds to buy new vehicles and update police equipment.

The Waco Police Department will receive $300,777 through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Program to be used for law enforcement equipment.

The McLennan County Sheriff’s Office will get $233,155, Bellmead Police Department will get $62,634 and the Lacy-Lakeview Police Department will get $13,991.

Waco police submitted the grant application on behalf of the agencies, and all agreed how much each would receive from the grant, said Carinne Crider, Waco police planner and grant writer.

McLennan County commissioners approved the county’s memorandum Tuesday to accept the funds for the sheriff’s office. Chief Deputy Randy Plemons told the court Tuesday that the grant could be used for new vehicles, patrol equipment and computers. The grant can not be used to pay personnel salary, he said.

Crider said Waco police have not decided how to use the funds. The Bellmead Police Department wants to buy surveillance cameras for interview rooms, outdoor security cameras for the new police building and to upgrade the car video cameras to digital, officials said. The department is preparing a spending proposal to be approved by the city council.

Commissioners on Tuesday also allocated and authorized use of $13,025 to buy a 7.11-acre easement for a new jail video visitation center to be built adjacent to the planned private jail on State Highway 6. An additional 6.39 acre easement next to the center is being donated to the county.

The easements were needed to connect sewer, communications and utility lines between the jail and the visitation center, officials said. Plemons said the federal funds can not be used to buy the easement, but some may be used for security costs at the visitation center.

rdennis@wacotrib.com

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