Hahira Police Department receives over $600K in grant funding

HAHIRA, Ga. (WALB) - One South Georgia city will soon receive funding that will help them better serve their citizens.

Law enforcement agencies across Georgia who suffered from challenges that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic will soon feel relief, and hopefully start seeing positive change throughout their communities.

The Hahira Police Department has received over $600,000 in state grant funding that Governor Brian Kemp’s Office announced on Thursday. Hahira Police Lieutenant Todd Pitchford says they are fully staffed, but with the growth they’re expecting to have, this grant will help them be able to expand their coverage.

“It was a catapult for the police department,” Pitchford said. “Just the staffing — we got over $275,000 for staffing, and that’s going to give us two officers that’s paid for, for the next 46 months.”

The department says they will use this grant to improve staffing, community-oriented policing strategies and to invest in the technology of various equipment to address a rise in violent crimes.

“One of the purchases we’re looking at is a AFIS machine. So, we’ll be able to fingerprint and photograph people right here and be able to identify them with a rapid ID system. We’re an interstate town and a lot of violent crimes that the statistics came from for this grant came off the interstate,” Pitchford said.

Kemp’s office announced over $80 million for 118 qualified projects to improve community public safety measures across Georgia.

“With the increase in violent crime seen in communities across the country, including here in our state, we’re sending reinforcements to keep hardworking Georgians and their neighborhoods safe,” Kemp said.

The Hahira Police Department thanks all local and state governments for what they’ve done to help them better protect the citizens of the town.

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