Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded $29,950 to provide protective gear to a branch of Alabama’s law enforcement community.
The grant to the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles will be used to purchase bulletproof vests for parole officers who often make in-home visits and face other situations where their welfare could be threatened.
“Each day law enforcement officers, including those employed with the state Bureau of Pardons and Paroles, throughout Alabama place themselves in harm’s way,” Ivey said. “Just as much as it is their duty to carry out their responsibilities to keep communities safe, it is our responsibility to ensure that they are guarded against danger.”
The bureau’s probation officers are sworn law enforcement officers who are required to meet the same training requirements as law enforcement officers in any agency or department. The officers serve in both court settings and parole matters.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available to the state from the U.S. Department of Justice.
“Gov. Ivey is aware of the challenges faced by those who wear badges, and it is her desire to see that their protective needs are met,” said ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell. “ADECA is glad to be a part of process in meeting this essential need of law enforcement.”
Ivey notified Pardons and Paroles Director Charles Graddick Sr. that the grant had been approved. ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, victim programs, economic development, water resource management, energy conservation and recreation.
