County receives grant funds for emergency preparedness

Poinsett County is one of 42 counties in Arkansas who have completed a Continuity of Operations Plan for Court Security and Emergency Preparedness and have qualified to each receive a grant of $2,380.95 for use towards improvements in court security and emergency preparedness in local court facilities. The Continuity of Operations Plan is the fourth component required by the Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on Court Security and Emergency Preparedness in order to receive the grant funds. In order to qualify for funding in previous cycles each county was required to complete a security assessment of every building in the county where court proceedings are held and develop a written court security and emergency response plan for each facility.

In 2007 the Arkansas General Assembly allocated $500,000 to the Administrative Office of the Courts for the purpose of assisting the district and circuit courts in improving security and related issues. In January, 2008, $250,000 was evenly distributed to all 75 counties in Arkansas to assist them in forming court security committees and completing the security assessments. In July, 2008, those counties that submitted a security and emergency response plan received an additional share of $150,000. The remaining $100,000 is now being provided to those counties that have successfully completed the last requirement.

The forty-two counties receiving the grant funds are: Arkansas, Ashley, Benton, Calhoun, Chicot, Clark, Cleveland, Columbia, Conway, Crawford, Cross, Dallas, Desha, Garland, Grant, Hot Spring, Howard, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lee, Little River, Logan, Nevada, Newton, Perry, Pike, Poinsett, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Scott, Sebastian, Sevier, Sharp, St. Francis, Stone, White, Woodruff and Yell.

For further information, contact: Pete Hollingsworth, Director of Court Security and Emergency Preparedness, Administrative Office of the Courts, (501) 682-9400, pete.hollingsworth@arkansas.gov.