Publication select ▼
Shutterstock image
UTICA/STERLING HEIGHTS — State Rep. Ron Robinson, R-Utica, appeared before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor and Economic Opportunity in late July to advocate in support of two grant proposals for public safety and infrastructure in Macomb County.
One of the grant proposals is a $250,000 grant for the Utica Police Department. The request would fund public safety equipment.
“Utica is a small-town community with big city problems,” Robinson said in a press release. “Despite only being two and a half square miles in area, the community sees many visitors, traffic, and at times, crime due to our many tourist attractions. This investment would ensure the safety of our officers and the public alike.”
Utica Police Chief Matt Kaluzny explained more about what the grant would fund.
“The City of Utica and the Utica Police Department remain committed to being fiscally responsible with taxpayer funds while ensuring the highest level of public safety for our community,” Kaluzny said in an email. “We have been working with Representative Ron Robinson’s office to pursue grant funding that would allow us to modernize and upgrade critical equipment needed to better serve our residents.”
Currently, the Utica Police Department’s inventory includes more than 9-year-old Tasers that are considered to be beyond their recommended service time.
“With significant advancements in less-lethal technology, we are seeking to replace them with the Taser 10, which provides increased range, accuracy, and reliability,” Kaluzny said in an email. “The Tasers are great tools for the officers designed to safely incapacitate an individual resulting in improving overall safety for both officers and the public.”
Besides the Tasers, other new equipment would include lightweight ballistic panels, ballistic shields, a drone, a Faro laser, and a TruNarc handheld analyzer. A Faro laser scanner collects data and measurements to document crime and crash scenes. TruNarc handheld analyzers help police quickly identify controlled substances.
“These upgrades will significantly enhance officer safety, improve our response capabilities, and allow us to continue providing high-quality service to the city of Utica,” Kaluzny said in an email. “We are grateful for the ongoing support and advocacy from Representative Robinson on behalf of our city.”
For more information, visit cityofutica.org/departments/utica_police/index.php.
The other grant proposal is a $2.5 million grant for the Oakland-Macomb Interceptor Drain Drainage District. It would fund the construction of a new odor-control facility for sanitary sewer odors along the 15 Mile Road corridor and the ITC corridor. The facility would reduce, if not eliminate, the smells and help preserve the sewer infrastructure, according to Robinson.
“In short, the odor hurts our community, and we can take steps towards resolving the issue,” Robinson said in a press release. “From the Sterling Heights Fire Station to the Sterling Heights High School, this issue negatively (affects) nearly 50,000 citizens, and I’m aiming to fix that. This is a smart investment in both quality of life and long-term infrastructure sustainability, and I hope to see both critical grants included in the final state budget.”
For more information, visit oakgov.com or macombgov.org.
