The Grady County Sheriff’s Department has received a Homeland Security Grant. Undersheriff Irene Harvey reported to the Grady County Commissioners on Monday that a $25,000 grant has been obtained and will most likely be used for a new alarm system at the Grady County Courthouse.

An assessment has been made of the courthouse, and U. S. Marshals will also perform a risk assessment of the building, accompanied by Harvey or other sheriff’s deputies.

The plan is to set up “panic alarms” that go directly to the Sheriff’s Department dispatcher. The system will be set up so that dispatchers will instantly know the location of the call and even from which desk the call is being made.

According to Harvey, the number of panic alarms have already been counted and six more will be added.

“It’s better to go high than low,” she said.

According to Harvey, the grant is 100 percent reimbursable, which means items purchased must be paid for “up front” and Homeland Security will reimburse county offices, generally within two weeks.

“It’s not a long, drawn out thing,” said Harvey.

A previous grant covered the cost of updating camera systems in both the courthouse and the Grady County Jail.

In other business, the commissioners declared a Grady County surplus and set a date for the surplus items to be sold at auction. A list of the surplus items will be made and flyers will be published for distribution. The sale is scheduled for 10 a.m., Wednesday, May 2, at the Grady County Fairgrounds.

The board also approved a request from the Chickasha WIC Office to apply for a DHHS grant. WIC is a federally funded program that is administered by the Oklahoma State Department of Health that provides nutrition education and supplemental foods for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have recently given birth, infants, and children up to the age of five.

Not-for-profit, community-based organizations may apply for DHHS grants.