Denver Security News

DENVER (AP) — State and local governments in Colorado have spent more than $160 million in federal grants on homeland security gear ranging from protective gloves to emergency command trucks since the 2001 terrorist attacks, state records show.

The Denver Post reported Thursday (http://bit.ly/qsoYER ) that officials produced the list after the newspaper's previous stories showed the state couldn't account for much of the spending.

The newly released records show a large portion of the money went toward a statewide radio system for police, firefighters and other agencies and for breathing systems to protect first responders against toxic gases.

The list also shows law enforcement agencies across the state spent $19.8 million on emergency command vehicles, hazmat trucks and decontamination trailers.

The list shows how much money was spent in some sparsely populated parts of the state.

A six-county region in western Colorado with 100,000 residents spent $752,000 on 17 vehicles, a vehicle computer and trailers. The vehicles included snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, emergency command vehicles and a hazmat truck.

The San Luis Valley region, with about 46,000 residents, spent $755,000 for vehicles and trailers plus $70,000 for infrared binoculars.

The Southwest region, population 91,000, spent $668,000 for vehicles, equipment and trailers, plus $26,731 for 448,000 doses of an antibiotic effective against anthrax, bubonic plague and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

The Southeast farmland region spent $273,000 for outdoor public-warning systems, plus $154,000 for body armor, including bullet-resistant vests.

The list was compiled by the state Department of Local Affairs from a database of equipment purchases from 2003 through 2010.

Larry Trujillo, director of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security, said a planned reorganization of state homeland security programs should improve and centralize record keeping.