Other uses

Hamlet said there's been much discussion on whether equipment purchased through the Homeland Security grants can be used for other things besides specifically battling terrorists.

"We've been told (by federal officials) that it makes no sense to let these items get dust on them" in storage, Hamlet said.

Dave Owens, Kane County's director of the office of emergency services, said the ATVs are the perfect example of a multiple-use item. While they were ostensibly bought to help deal with a disaster, they will be much more heavily used, if not completely, for the more mundane tasks of wilderness searches or flood assistance.

"You don't just plan for a dirty bomb. You plan for an earthquake or a flood or a dirty bomb," Owens said.

For example, the Uintah County Sheriff spent $50,000 on a fingerprint identification system.

Owens said normal crime-fighting aid is especially valuable in southern Utah, where the vast empty spaces are attractive to groups that can evolve into domestic terrorists.

The money has also allowed departments to better coordinate their tools and training, Tracy said, both at the local level and across the state. A good example of that is the improved radio systems for many rural departments, which will ideally allow officers across the state to communicate with each other without having to go through third parties.

"It brings a continuity to equipment and training," Tracy said. "We can work together and draw on each other's resources."

Federal officials have specifically excluded any kinds of weapons in the grants — so officers can't buy Tazers or machine guns with the money. But weapon purchases and ammunition have been discussed for the grants, Hamlet said, and he wouldn't be surprised if, as more and more traditional law enforcement grants are blended into Homeland Security, weapons will become eligible for purchase.

And a number of local agencies spent money putting fencing, cameras and alarms around storage areas for their new high-tech stuff or public buildings that should be kept safe in a time of trouble.