Tester Secures $50,000 for Libby Police Department

Grant Will Fund Purchase of Four New Police Vehicles

(U.S. Senate) – The Libby Police Department will have four new police vehicles this fall, thanks to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development grant that U.S. Senator Jon Tester voted to fund.

Tester was the only member of Montana’s delegation to support the U.S. Department of Agriculture funding that provides these resources to local law enforcement officers. The grant, coupled with private funding, will replace four older police cars with new vehicles more suited to the terrain, improving both public and officer safety.

“Our men and women in uniform put their lives on the line every day to keep our families and our communities safe,” Tester said. “As your Senator, I am constantly fighting to bring home the resources our law enforcement officers need to protect Montana families and secure our communities.”

Tester noted that the new vehicles will enhance law enforcement’s ability to respond effectively and provide emergency services within Libby. The four utility police interceptors will be outfitted with updated lighting and safety equipment and are expected to hit the streets by November 2018.

“The City of Libby and the Libby Police Department thanks the Unites States Department of Agriculture Rural Development for its grant assistance to provide new police vehicles for the department,” said Libby Police Chief Scott Kessel. “The new all-wheel drive vehicles will allow us to more effectively respond and serve the needs of our community during all weather conditions, and wouldn’t have been possible without the USDA-RD grant assistance due to the extremely limited budget of the city.”

Tester has recently secured other public safety resources for communities around Montana, such as the LEO Reimbursement Program and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. Tester also recently introduced the ANTI Drugs Act to give local law enforcement officers the resources they need to keep Montana’s communities safe.