GREENFIELD — Hancock County received a $55,000 state grant to enhance security at its government hub.
The funds, which come from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, are for exterior security cameras at the Hancock County Courthouse in downtown Greenfield, along with associated components like equipment for mounting the cameras and a server to store the footage. The grant covers the entire cost of the improvements; no local match is required.
Hancock County’s emergency management agency and 911 office collectively applied for the grant.
The State Homeland Security Program assists efforts to prevent, prepare for, protect against and respond to acts of terrorism.
“The courthouse security was a good, strong project to apply toward that kind of program, to help with the security there and to prevent any kind of terrorist activity,” said Misty Moore, director of the county’s emergency management agency.
Moore and John Jokantas, director of the county’s 911 center, said while terrorism is often thought of on a national level, it’s important to remember that it exists domestically too.
“There’s nothing that says we won’t have a court case at some point in time that will draw attention to our county,” Jokantas said. “That’s a priority of that security.”
Both leaders said they were excited to learn of the grant award.
“It’ll really overall enhance the security of that area between the county and city buildings,” Jokantas said, referring to Greenfield city hall right across State Street from the courthouse.
Moore said the grant program is very competitive, and credited the county’s success to the cooperation between government departments.
“I think that speaks a lot of everyone in Hancock County,” she said. “It takes everyone together to put together these applications and put together a project like this.”
