The Red Bay Police Department is funding a new piece of equipment following a grant announcement this week.

Gov. Robert Bentley has awarded grants totaling $1,415 to the city of Red Bay to purchase equipment for its police department. The money is funding a Taser and cartridges, providing officers with a less-than-lethal option to subdue uncooperative suspects who pose a threat to the officers and the public.

Chief Janna Jackson said it was important to her to see each of her officers outfitted with Tasers, but the department didn’t have enough to go around. The RBPD purchased the X2 model, which Jackson said is considered a “smart weapon.”

“The static-resistant TASER smart cartridge is more accurate and durable than a standard cartridge, which increases reliability and lowers the risk of accidental discharge,” explains the product description on www.taser.com. The X2 also includes a back-up shot and the option of a warning arc.

“It has a little better function than our other Tasers,” Jackson said. “With other Tasers, you deploy it and only shoot one cartridge. That’s all you have, and you have to reload with another cartridge. With these, you have two cartridges, so if you fire one cartridge and you miss or have another suspecting coming and need to deploy, you can pull the trigger and fire a second cartridge without having to reload.”

A blog post on Taser’s website asserts, “The TASER X2 isn’t only a weapon – it’s an advanced piece of law enforcement technology that just happens to be part of your weapons arsenal. When it comes to critical situations, the X2 is one of the most dependable tools you can have, built to work during high-stakes encounters and boasting advanced capabilities not included in our older weapons.”

“Our officers put their lives on the line daily to protect and serve,” Bentley said. “It is imperative that we equip them with necessary options to carry out their duties effectively. I am pleased to help Red Bay purchase this needed equipment.”

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available to the state by the U.S. Department of Justice. ADECA administers a wide range of programs supporting law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, water resource management, energy conservation and recreation.

“ADECA partners with law enforcement agencies across the state to ensure they are able to get needed equipment,” ADECA Director Jim Byard Jr. said. “We are pleased to help Red Bay provide this equipment for their police officers who work hard to protect their community every day.”

Red Bay Mayor Charlene Fancher commended Jackson for applying for the grants.