With plans to hire as many as a dozen new police officers over the next few months, city officials moved Monday to approve six new hand-held radios and other communications equipment.

The radio equipment, with a price of $26,558.70, is necessary to equip the new officers and retire some older radios, said Vicksburg Police Chief Mitchell Dent.

The police department employs between 90 and 100 officers, but the budget allows hiring up to 108, Dent said.

“We’re attempting to fill all those slots,” he said.

Vicksburg officers are equipped with state-of-the-art trunked 800 megahertz digital radios purchased four years ago for about $2 million.

In other business, the city:

Applied for state economic development funds to build a railroad spur through the Vicksburg Municipal Airport property to serve Hancorp and Batesville Casket Co.

Received bids for fire hydrant parts and mosquito spray.

Awarded a contract for fire line water meters to Invensys Metering Systems of Uniontown, Penn. The meters will be used in conjunction with new fire hydrants to be installed in the northern and southern areas annexed by Vicksburg in 1990.

Awarded contracts for traffic management supplies to G&C Supply Co. of Atwood, Tenn.; Rental Service Corp. of Vicksburg; and Patriot Diamond Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Executed a Mississippi Department of Public Safety grant worth $37,025, used to pay overtime for police officers who are supervising juveniles performing community service.

Executed a contract for extra natural gas during peak winter months from El Paso Merchant Energy for $3,600.

Authorized the city clerk to advertise for sealed bids for recreational supplies and a lawn mower.

Approved the claims docket.