Carbon County is applying for grant money available to law enforcement to help cover the cost of personal prevention equipment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Thursday, the county commissioners approved the application to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency for $66,487 for coronavirus emergency supplemental funding. The funding covers March 16 through March 16, 2022.

Richmond Parsons, Carbon County chief adult probation officer, said that this grant is specific to law enforcement so the application will be used to reimburse agencies for any personal prevention equipment already purchased during the pandemic, as well as buy additional PPE to be distributed to agencies throughout the county and also to perform COVID-19 testing at the correctional facility.

To date, $6,731 has already been spent on PPE, which will be reimbursed.

With regards to testing at the prison, Parsons said Carbon County has a very small correctional facility.

“Right now they have to worry about quarantining people with new inmates coming in. Space is very limited, so the ability to test those inmates will allow us to keep the jail safe and keep COVID out of the jail.”