An errant bullet that sailed out of the Cincinnati Police Department’s target range last year prompted the department to ask for $400,000 to make the facility safer, says the Cincinnati Enquirer. The bullet, fired during training in which officers run and duck for cover while shooting at metal targets, ricocheted off a targets, sailed over a high concrete retaining wall and broke the windshield of a civilian’s car parked on the other side of the wall.
Though the money for the range changes would come from asset forfeiture funds and not stimulus money, the debate coincided with one about how the police department should spend about $1.3 million expected from a federal grant. Cincinnati usually gets money from the Byrne Justice Assistance grant, but gets more this year because the fund is being bolstered by stimulus money. Some council members were critical of the department’s list of proposed uses for the Byrne money, including $157,000 for radio batteries, $100,000 for computers, $40,000 for laser speed-tracking devices and $35,000 for mountain bikes. “I’m sure police radio batteries are important,” said Councilman Chris Bortz. “I’m without context.”