Mary White sees bright lights in her neighborhood and feels safer than she did when she moved in 10 years ago.

White is one of many residents in the West End community who are welcoming a heightened level of security and greater police presence in the area.

“We need a change,” White said. “I think it’s good.”

White and other West End residents, along with Clanton city and law enforcement officials, gathered at the Clanton Police Department West Neighborhood Precinct on Thursday afternoon to celebrate the grand opening of the renovated facility.

The Clanton Housing Authority, the city of Clanton and the police department collaborated on a project to upgrade the city’s West End and North neighborhood police precincts and improve the overall appearance and atmosphere of public housing communities like the one at West End.

“I really commend the mayor and police chief for all of us working together for the betterment of the community,” Clanton Housing Authority Director Ron Jones said. “It’s made a big difference.”

Jones said security upgrades include high-definition 24-hour surveillance cameras, 400-watt LED lights and constant police presence at the precincts every day.

The city donated labor and gravel for the parking lot as well as a bucket truck to install lights.

Local inmates installed hardwood flooring and painted, and housing authority maintenance workers installed air conditioning and kitchen appliances.

“It was a joint effort to make improvements in both police substations,” Jones said. “We cleaned the streets up and cut down some diseased trees. We’re doing what we can to improve the community.”

Clanton Police Chief Brian Stilwell said eight officers with 24-hour shifts would man each precinct.

For example, narcotics investigators, a lieutenant and five patrol officers will work out of the West precinct every day.

Prior to the change, Stilwell said the department’s nearly 30 officers were on call rotations throughout the city, which means officers were not required to man precincts at all times.

Individual supervisors will be responsible for each area.

Each precinct is equipped with computers and software that allows officers to monitor calls and view live footage from every security camera.

“The intention is to keep the police officers out in the communities,” Stilwell said. “They stay in the neighborhood where they are supposed to be.”

Stilwell said his hope is that people in the communities become familiar with the officers assigned to their areas, and the officers become familiar with the residents they are assigned to serve and protect.

“Our effort is to try to keep the police in the community [and] make them accountable,” Stilwell said.

White and others said drugs have been a problem in the West End community, but the increased police presence and security upgrades like surveillance cameras seem to have lessened the prevalence of drugs in the area.

“Before we had all this, you had drug dealers running around everywhere,” said Jackie Baker, West End Neighborhood Watch president. “You see kids out here now.”

Juanita Jackson said she was often hesitant to let her children play outside before.

“I used to not let them outside much, but now I do,” Jackson said. “I think now I might be feeling a little safer.”

Baker said he is glad to see the neighborhood become safer and a more desirable place to live.

“I’ve been here all my life, and I know it’s a good neighborhood,” Baker said. “A lot of families live in this area.”

Funding for the renovation project consisted of a capital funds grant from the federal government for $27,000, along with funds from a community safety grant the Clanton Housing Authority applied for and received, Jones said.

Jones said the housing authority gets the community safety grant every year, but instead of funds being allocated to apartment renovations, they were allocated to remodeling police precincts and purchasing surveillance equipment.

“While applying for the community safety grants, residents were involved and asked for their input,” Jones said. “They asked for improved lighting and security. A community meeting was held, and these were some suggestions. We prioritized their wants and fundability.”

Stilwell said the police department used a portion of its seized drug fund money to pay for some of the renovations.

“The city of Clanton has been supportive, and the police chief has been supportive,” Jones said. “We did it to make the community better for families and children.”