Dauphin Island police received a $25,000 state grant in 2009 to purchase Tasers and other equipment for officers after local budget constraints delayed earlier plans.
The department said the funding would cover Tasers as well as new firearms, ammunition and related equipment. The town’s budget had forced officials to postpone the purchases before the grant was announced.
Federal funds routed through the state
Gov. Bob Riley awarded the grant using funds made available to Alabama by the U.S. Department of Justice. The award was intended to help the island department obtain equipment it considered necessary for policing and officer safety.
Riley said law-enforcement agencies needed reliable tools to protect and serve their communities. For Dauphin Island, the grant offered a way to move ahead with purchases that the town had not been able to fund through its regular budget.
Local policing needs
Police equipment is a recurring local-government expense, especially for small municipalities balancing personnel, maintenance and public-safety demands. The 2009 grant allowed the department to add less-lethal Taser devices while also updating firearms and ammunition.
The report did not specify how many devices or weapons would be purchased, nor did it provide a timeline for officers to begin carrying the equipment. It documented the grant as a targeted investment in the Dauphin Island Police Department’s resources.
This historical account reflects the state funding decision announced in June 2009 and the local budget conditions that preceded it.