Hunterdon County approves $500,000 in municipal law-enforcement grants; first $5,000 of awards to fund live‑scan integration

On Sept. 16, 2025, the Hunterdon County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to award $500,000 in municipal law‑enforcement grants to local governments across the county.

County counsel Katrina Doyle, who presented the recommendations, said 22 municipalities applied and that "just shy of $770,000 was requested of the $500,000 available." The board approved the list of recommended award amounts and uses, which include equipment purchases, facility renovations and technology integration.

Doyle told the board the first $5,000 of each award to police‑department municipalities is earmarked to integrate each municipality’s live‑scan fingerprinting technology with the county’s computer‑aided dispatch and law‑enforcement records platform to permit real‑time data uploads among agencies. Doyle said the grant applications were reviewed by herself, Sheriff Fred Brown and Public Safety Director Braden Fahey.

Examples included: Clinton Borough — $29,000 for new police‑department building renovations and live‑scan integration; Clinton Township — $34,000 for in‑car and body cameras and live‑scan integration; Franklin Township — $29,000 for software, in‑car computers, additional cameras and live‑scan integration; and Tewksbury Township — $34,000 for a new Axon body‑camera system, evidence management and training plus live‑scan integration. Municipalities without police departments received smaller awards (typically $10,000) for traffic‑safety devices and speed signs.

Commissioner John Rich moved to authorize the grants; Commissioner Cool seconded. Roll call was unanimous.

Letters specifying approved items and purchase‑order paperwork will be sent to each recipient, county counsel said, and recipients must return the paperwork to receive their checks.