Mathews Sheriff April Edwards has been busy securing funding for her office during her brief tenure.

She spoke before the board of supervisors on May 16, providing an update on the grants her office has been awarded to pay for everything from training to equipment to a new canine program. She later talked with the Gazette-Journal about her efforts.

CJS multi-project grant

Edwards said the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services has awarded the sheriff’s office a $78,000 grant that will fund a new canine program, pay for nine emergency call boxes at various county sites, and bring a motivational speaker to the county to talk to students and the public.

It is a matching grant, but most of the $25,000 match will be made with in-kind contributions such as the donated use of facilities and deputy training, said Edwards, adding that the only actual county expense will be the cost of the concrete for installing the call boxes.

Edwards said the canine funding will cove...