New funding from the American Rescue Project has allowed for several improvements in the City of Cape Girardeau.
The funding is required to be used for public safety projects or infrastructure projects. Of the $4,140,336.50 received, the City of Cape Girardeau has dedicated, $90,850 for Public safety/Health and Wellness, $2,950,000 will fund Sewer inflow and infiltration, $312,438 is earmarked for the Lorimer street sewer, $70,550 will help upgrade City hall to fiber internet, and $178,200 was used to purchase the 'Shot Spotter' ballistics detection and analytics system.
In a recent interview with Mayor Stacy Kinder, Cape Girardeau Police Chief Wes Blair spoke about the resourcefulness of this new system.
"I think the most impactful tool that we were able to put together was our Shot Spotter system", said Chief Blair.
He continued to describe how the system is used practically, from a public safety assistance perspective. "Recently, [the Shot Spotter system] which is basically a gunshot detection system that's set up in an area of town that has the most gunfire in it... within two weeks of getting that deployed, we were able to get a felon off the street with the firearm based on that hit from the Shot Spotter".
The 'Shot Spotter' system is one of the projects in an ongoing series of improvements scheduled in the City of Cape Girardeau. In the coming months, City Council members and other staff will determine how to utilize the remaining $538,298. The funds must be used by the end of 2024, and at that point, any underutilized funds must be returned to the government.
