By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The Alabaster Police Department will be ready to outfit its four recently hired officers, after the City Council agreed to purchase new radios for the officers during an early January meeting.

Council members voted unanimously during their Jan. 7 meeting to purchase four new radios at a cost of $13,804, which will help cover the department as it hires new officers.

In December 2018, the department welcomed officers Watkins, Shine, Alexander and Madison to the force, and the officers are attending the police academy this month, according to the department. The department also celebrated the retirement of Sgt. Andrew Bryant, who served the department for 32 years, in December 2018.

“They’re very excited about serving the great citizens of the city of Alabaster,” read a post introducing the new officers on the department’s Facebook page.

Money in the department’s equitable sharing fund will cover about $5,400 of the cost of the new radios, while the remainder of the funding will come from the city’s general fund, council members said.