BRUNSWICK

Brunswick’s police department will get nearly $20,000 in tactical gear after the town council accepted a grant from the Cumberland County Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday.

Police will acquire six helmets, six ballistic vests and six protective plates for the vests for use by the department’s SWAT team.

The money comes from leftover funds from a 2013 emergency management grant.

“We’re happy to spend money if it’s available and doesn’t cost us anything,” said Brunswick Police Commander Mark Waltz.

The council also accepted a Byrne grant for nearly $7,000 for police gear including cruiser radio equipment, traffic enforcement radar, game cameras for surveillance, a still camera for crime scene processing, and a monitor stand for dispatchers.

The town does not need to provide matching funds for either grant.

Also on Tuesday, the town council renewed its contract with law firm Preti Flaherty, including a $3,000 monthly retainer. As a result, attorney Stephen Langsdorf will continue to be the council’s main legal adviser.

Langsdorf said the retainer could be reduced by $1,000 per month if he did not attend council meetings regularly. However, councilors said they found Langsdorf ’s presence at the meetings useful.

As a cost-savings measure, the town will provide Preti Flaherty with a list of personnel who are authorized to request legal services.

Preti Flaherty also agreed to provide the town with an estimate of billable hours for services not covered by the retainer upon request of Town Manager John Eldridge, and to monitor the billable hours of its partners, associates, paralegals and other personnel.

The contract is similar to one signed last year, when the council signed with Preti Flaherty over longtime counsel Bernstein Shur.

The council voted Jan. 5 to reappoint Preti Flaherty as legal counsel, but had not authorized a contract.

Police provisions

WITH A GRANT from the Cumberland County Emergency Management Agency, Brunswick police will acquire six helmets, six ballistic vests and six protective plates for the vests for use by the department’s SWAT team.

A BYRNE GRANT for nearly $7,000 will provide police gear including cruiser radio equipment, traffic enforcement radar, game cameras for surveillance, a still camera for crime scene processing, and a monitor stand for dispatchers.

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