BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL ACCEPTS GRANTS FOR POLICE EQUIPMENT

Josh Blaschke; KWHI

Brenham Police Sergeant Steven Eilert tells the Brenham City Council on Thursday about the new equipment and gear the police department will be able to purchase through grants awarded by the Office of the Governor.

The Brenham Police Department is getting new equipment and gear, thanks to grants from the Office of the Governor.

The Brenham City Council today (Thursday) approved resolutions authorizing the acceptance of over $100,000 in grants.  The funding, which does not require a matching contribution from the city, will be used to purchase a handheld explosives and narcotics detector, armor plates, and a robot to search rooms, stairwells and other small spaces from a safe distance.

The first grant was for $13,624 to purchase a SEEKERe MDK Detector, which Sergeant Steven Eilert said allows field testing for trace amounts of drugs and explosives.

The second grant, valued at $31,413, will purchase 48 rifle-resistant body armor plates.  Eilert said they weigh 2.5 pounds each, about half the weight of their current plates.

The third and final grant, for $55,025, is for an ICOR Mini-Caliber Robot.  Eilert said equipment like this will be useful for not just the Brenham Police Department, but for surrounding agencies.