May 18, 2009

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Maine town uses Byrne grant, confiscated drug money to get new squad car

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By Scott Monroe
The Morning Sentinel

WINSLOW, Maine — The Police Department is expecting a new patrol car and security cameras at its offices, without using local tax money.

The purchases, which would be funded by a federal grant and money confiscated from drug arrests, were given initial approval by the Town Council this week and are expected to get a final vote next month.

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The new cruiser, a Ford Crown Victoria, will be swapped with an older one and be paid for with $17,951 from the U.S. Department of Justice, under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program. A second police cruiser will be swapped for a new one, too, but is included in the coming year's budget proposal.

The current cruisers are several years old and have accumulated more than 100,000 miles each, said Police Chief Richard Grindall.

"We do what we can to complement or assist the budget process without moving to increase our budget," Grindall said.

Neighboring Waterville is benefiting from the grant program as well, with its police department slated to receive $83,470 to replace three patrol cars.

In addition, the Winslow department plans to dip into its $8,200 confiscated fund, which contains money seized from drug raids, and use almost $3,800 to purchase four security cameras for the police department headquarters, off Benton Avenue. The department has no security cameras now, Grindall said.

Cameras will be installed before July, at the front entrance and in the department's booking and interview rooms, so that police will have audio and visual recordings of police business.

"It's for officers' safety more than anything," Grindall said.

The department has previously used its confiscated fund to purchase equipment such as guns for officers, Grindall said.

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