Royston Police Chief Donnie Boleman told the city council this week that he has acquired all kinds of surplus U.S. Army equipment to assist the city and his department in the event of an emergency.

Boleman said he recently learned of the program, called the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency’s Disposition Services. Under the program, law enforcement has access to all kinds of surplus Army equipment. The total value of the goods received by Royston came to just over $250,000, Boleman said.

To get the goods, Boleman drove to U.S. Army bases up and down the East Coast or had the items shipped to Royston.

Mayor David Jordan and the city council sat in surprised silence as Boleman outlined, with a PowerPoint presentation and photos, the extent of the equipment he’s acquired in just the past 30 days.

The city of Royston has taken over the old Little League baseball fields off Highway 17.

At a brief called meeting recently, the city council voted to accept the ball fields from the Franklin County Little League.

Royston Police Chief Donnie Boleman brought the project to the council. Boleman said the city plans to renovate the fields so they can be used again.

“We had been talking with the (Franklin County Little League) board for quite a while now and discussing us taking responsibility for the actual property,” Boleman said. “The place does need some updating, but through grant resources, our (city) staff, our equipment, our prison detail, we’ll be able to take care of this and bring it back up to a standard that our founders will be proud of. They’ll be able to say they’re proud of what the city of Royston is doing for the community and Little League baseball.”