Police agencies across Kent County are receiving law enforcement assistance grant money from Levy Court Commissioners.
Kent County Levy Court Commissioners are sending just under $200,000 to State Police and 12 municipal police agencies in the county using contingency funding in the 2021 county budget.
“Over the last couple years, Levy Court has looked for ways to partner, to contribute and support the local municipalities - as well as the State Police; the County doesn’t have its own police force," said 4th District Levy Court Commissioner Eric Buckson. "And so every few years we look to offer grants and that’s what we did this time around.”
Buckson says Delaware State Police is receiving $100,000 from the county.
The remaining money is split between municipal police forces. Some are full-time, while others are only part-time - so Buckson says they needed to get creative about how to spread the money out.
Commissioners decided to give each agency an equal base share of $10,000 plus a $384.12 stipend for each uniformed officer.
Buckson notes this is not the first time the county is funding these grants.
“This is essentially the second time that we’ve looked to do this; the first time was a few years back. Basically what we’ve done is - we’ve provided a lump sum grant to the (Delaware) State Police and then we took the remaining money and we put it into - what we tried to do was a formula….basically provided it to assist,” Buckson said.
Buckson says the money should be used by departments when they “assist” State Police.
The Dover Police Department was presented a check for just under $49,000, while Camden got about $13,500 and Smyrna received close to $18,500.
