Posted: 7:00 a.m. Thursday, June 19, 2014

Police awarded grant money for training

ByLot Tan

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — 

    The Middletown Community Foundation awardedMiddletown Police a $10,000 grant that will be used for training, according topolice. The money is needed, Sgt. Andy Warrick said, because there are notraining dollars allocated for 2015.

    “Due to budget cuts, training is one of theareas that’s hardest hit,” Warrick said. The overall budget for the policedepartment is projected to be approximately $750,000 less next year compared to this year, according toMiddletown Police.

    The money will be used to send detectivesto specialized classes, and for evidence technicians to learn new techniques,and to teach officers how to operate new equipment, according to police.

    Warrick says some supervisors may alsoattend the Police Executive Leadership College, which has classes heldthroughout the state.

    Warrick said he isn’t done searching formore grant money for the department. He plans to mail a grant request this weekto the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation, he said.

Thefoundation seeks to support police and fire departments throughout the U.S. with a particularemphasis on support for K-9 units and service dogs.

    Warrick says Middletown Police was awarded$8,000 a few years ago from the Roethlisberger Foundation.

    “We put in canine pads, six kennels withoverhang protection for canines during training to protect them from inclementweather. This year I’m reapplying for that for our storage facility and toobtain more equipment,” he said.

    The deadline to apply for the grant is Aug.15, according to Warrick. He says the winner will be notified next fall duringthe week of the Steelers-Bengals game at Paul Brown Stadium.

    Some of the new training dollars will bespent this year, but Warrick said the majority of the money will be spentduring the first six months of next year.