October 21, 2011  –  I am very pleased to announce that Sumner and Robertson Counties were the recipient of numerous public safety grants this past week totaling over $91,800.  These grants help fund a variety of enforcement, legal and educational initiatives across the state, including first responder equipment purchases, DUI prosecutors, speed enforcement, and child passenger safety training.  They are issued to agencies that successfully applied for assistance based on need. 

Those agencies receiving high visibility grants of approximately $5,000 include the Coopertown Police Department, the Greenbrier Police Department, Millersville Police Department, Sumner County Sheriff’s Department, Volunteer State Community College Campus Police and the Westmoreland Police Department . 

Other grants included a substantial $47,290 grant for our Sumner County Drug Court and $19,514 for the White House Police Department’s efforts to protect citizens from those who drink and drive.

The Sumner County Adult Drug Court represents the coordinated efforts of the judiciary, prosecution, defense bar, probation, law enforcement, treatment, mental health, social services, and child protection services to actively and forcefully intervene and break the cycle of substance, abuse, addiction, and crime.  It links the resources of the criminal justice system, substance abuse programs, and other agencies.  Officials say the program has increased treatment participation and decreased criminal recidivism.  I am pleased they will receive this grant to aid them in their efforts.

I am also pleased the White House Police Department has received funds to help them in their efforts to rid our streets of drunk drivers.  This is a major public safety issue for Tennessee.  We must do everything possible to rid our streets of those who drink and drive, including providing greater resources to help law enforcement patrol our roads.

I congratulate all of our local law enforcement officials for the hard work done to secure these grants.  It should help upgrade their efforts to make our roads safer and protect our citizens.

In other good news this past week, I received a report showing that during the fiscal year 2011-2012 both Sumner and Robertson Counties share of Tennessee’s budget has increased.  Sumner County will receive $9,957,800 more than in the 2010-2011 budget year.  Robertson County will receive $7,408,200 more than in the 2010-2011 budget. 

This is at a time when the state budget was reduced $1.2 billion from the 2010-11 budget, which is a decrease of 3.8 percent. 
    
The county-by-county statistics are prepared each year by the Office of Legislative Budget Analysis, which works in concert with state finance officials in gathering the detailed information.  Citizens can review the full report at  http://www.capitol.tn.gov/joint/staff/budget-analysis/county-reports/counties11.

It is very important that we bring our citizen’s tax dollars back to Sumner and Robertson Counties and I will continue to work to do just that.

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