SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Shreveport city council made a unanimous vote to transfer more than $6 million dollars from their general fund to Shreveport Fire and Police departments.

This vote comes after Tuesday’s meeting. Both ordinances 116 and 117 combined totaled out to be $6,475,000. Shreveport councilwoman Tabatha Taylor, Councilman James Green, and Grayson Boucher authored the legislation 116.

Fire Chief Scott Wolverton said the funds would be used to purchase 3 new fire engines, 1 medical unit, 2 bomb suits, bunker gear, and more. He said this could also help with their staffing shortage.

“Anytime you have good equipment it’s good morale, good recruitment and we hope that would bleed over into our recruiting of young men and women in the city and they see better equipment coming and a better service to our citizens,” Chief Wolverton said.

Ordinance 117, which was introduced by Councilman Jerry Bowman also passed unanimously.

It would fund more than 3 million dollars for the department to buy new equipment. Chief Ben Raymond said they would purchase 40 take-home vehicles, 225 radars, firearms, firearm lock boxes. Other items including body cameras.

“There are several pieces…key pieces to that ordinance. number one is there going to be 40 take-home vehicles. so that’s not cars that are added to our fleet that officers come to the station and check out every day. these are 40 vehicles that would be driven home, within our communities, so yall have more visibility you’re also giving a benefit to 40 additional officers,” Chief Raymond said.