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Grant Helps Police Department

Eric Smith (left) presents Chief Ken Williams (right) with a check from Ga Power in the amount of $11,150.

Since fire destroyed the Jeff Davis EMS and Jeff Davis E-911 Building earlier this year, mobile hand-held radio communications for the Hazlehurst Police Department have been touch and go.
‘After speaking with numerous radio communication specialists, the solution to fix the department’s radio communication problems was to purchase an in-car repeater which would be installed in each patrol car. This would boost the radio signal from the mobile hand-held radio through the vehicle and to the main communication tower for the E-911 Center located approximately 6 miles outside the City Limits of Hazlehurst on the Broxton Highway.
There were a few issues with purchasing the in-car repeaters. The first issue was the department needed 10. The second was a total purchase and installation price of $11,150. The third, and most important, was that the funds to purchase the in-car repeaters were not in the Police Department budget.
Many grant opportunities were researched to find the funding to help the Police Department cover the cost of correcting the radio communication issues. One of these opportunities presented itself in the form of Eric Smith and Georgia Power. Eric is employed with Georgia Power, is a member of the Hazlehurst/Jeff Davis Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Jeff Davis Rotary Club. Eric was instrumental in helping with the application, processing, and awarding of the grant. When asked if Georgia Power would be interested in helping the department reach its goal of in-car repeaters, Eric replied that this was exactly the kind of community project Georgia Power likes to partner with.
Eric helped submit the department’s application to the regional office and a decision was made to award a grant that would fund the project in full. Georgia Power issued a check in the amount of $11,150 to the Hazlehurst Police Department for the purchase of 10 in-car repeaters.
Chief Ken Williams expressed his appreciation on behalf of the Hazlehurst Police Department, the City of Hazlehurst Mayor and Council, and the citizens of Hazlehurst and Jeff Davis County to Eric Smith and Georgia Power for their willingness to help the community by awarding the grant.

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