Thanks to a small agency incentive grant, the Rockdale Police Department will be able to better serve its community.

The CPD was one of 25 agencies in the state to receive a $10,000 small agency incentive grant from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) for the purchase of traffic equipment.

The grant was awarded to police agencies who participate in a traffic network and illustrated a need for the traffic equipment. The Conyers Police Department participates in the Central Regional Traffic Enforcement Network (CRTEN) and the network's assistant coordinator is CPD Officer Thomas Owen.

Traffic equipment purchased with the grant money included radars, window tint meters, portable intoxilizers, blue lights and traffic cones that will be utilized by the CPD's special operations unit.

CRTEN is comprised of agencies from Jones, Baldwin, Jasper, Putnam, Greene, Morgan, Newton, Rockdale, Bibb and Walton counties.

"The opportunity to network and participate in multi-agency networks such as CRTEN truly pays dividends when we're awarded grants like this small agency incentive grant," said Chief of Police Gene Wilson. "Grants go a long way towards offsetting the expenses of the police department."

The grant was officially awarded April 1 and the traffic equipment ordered with grant funding is arriving ready for use by officers.