LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, October 15, 2024 – USDA Rural Development has awarded a $50,000 Grant to the city Marshall and surrounding communities to replace two aging police cruisers with two brand new police vehicles.
The new vehicles will be come equipped with the latest in emergency lighting and sirens, as well as dash cameras. The vehicles are slated scheduled for delivery in early Fall and will help ensure officer safety and public accountability for officers assigned to the patrol vehicles.
“The two new police vehicles will greatly improve the service the department is able to provide the community by replacing aging and outdated vehicles,” said Marshall Chief of Police Kevin Ward. “The new police vehicles will aid the department by eliminating untimely break downs and repair cost.”
The mayor said he’s thankful for the city’s partnership with RD-Arkansas in which has been integral to improving the quality of life for rural residents in the North Central Arkansas community.
“Without the assistance of the USDA Rural Development the City of Marshall would not have been able to complete this upgrade to the department’s patrol vehicle fleet,” Chief Ward said. “The Rural Development staff has always been very helpful to the City of Marshall in completing projects they have collaborated on.”
State Director Jill Floyd said RD-Arkansas is proud to partner with Marshall and other rural communities across the state to provide safe, reliable equipment for our first responders.
“We understand the critical role first responders play in rural communities where they often cover multiple counties and travel long distances,” Floyd said. “The services they provide greatly improve the quality of life for rural residents.
“It’s important for rural communities to know they can count on us to provide the critical public safety resources they depend on.”
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