Four local emergency response agencies are among 27 throughout the region on the receiving end of this year’s Wisconsin Public Service Foundation’s Rewarding Responders grant program. The Menominee Police Department says they will use the grant funds to purchase a vehicle transport system for the department’s first K-9 officer. Captain Justin Hofer says, with the Menominee PD K-9 program still in its infancy and entirely funded by community donations, this grant from the WPS Foundation makes a big impact.

In addition to the Menominee PD, Fire Departments in Peshtigo, Grover-Porterfield, and the Town of Stephenson were also named grant recipients and intend to use the money they’ve been awarded through this program to purchase new equipment like hoses, thermal imaging cameras, and traffic control signs. Each year since 2014 the WPS Foundation has been awarding grants to fire, police, and rescue departments throughout its service area to help strengthen public safety. This year’s Rewarding Responders grants totaled $50000.