Police department seeks board authorization to reapply for bulletproof‑vest grant; camera system trial tabled for more information

Commander Cody Simpson updated the board on grants and technology for the police department and asked for a formal resolution to reapply for a federal bulletproof vest grant.

Simpson told aldermen the department is seeking permission to reapply for the Department of Justice bulletproof‑vest grant (identified in the meeting as the “Patrick Leath/Leith bulletproof grant”) and said the grant requires a 50% local match. “We need y’all’s consent to reapply. We need a resolution to, to reapply for this grant,” Simpson said.

Simpson also discussed a separately proposed project — a demonstration of a license‑plate‑reader system (described in the meeting as “Flock” cameras). He said the department has used similar systems and that they have helped investigators. “We were able to track them down through to Atlanta…ultimately, into Nashville where we picked up… the murder suspect,” Simpson said, citing a prior case. Simpson said Chief Jennings asked to table the LPR demonstration until the next meeting to provide additional information and to coordinate with the Lincoln County sheriff’s department on potential cost‑sharing.

Simpson gave staffing and training updates: several recruits are completing field training and a number of officers are scheduled for academy classes in July and August.

Finance staff later presented a corresponding agenda item to formally authorize the city to apply for the vest grant; the board moved the administrative agenda items forward for consideration in the regular session and the resolution will be on the board’s consent/ordinance list for final action.