The Reporter newspaper, Camdenton Missouri

The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.

Published February 12, 2020

Police departments receive grants

LAKE OF THE OZARKS – Several law enforcement agencies in the three-county area have received grants from the Missouri Department of Public Safety.

The grants were given out to purchase essential equipment used by officers, including ballistic vests, first aid and trauma kits, police radios, light bars, and sirens.

The grants are designed to help protect officers and increase safety across Missouri.

“Each time they put on their badge, Missouri law enforcement officers take on tremendous risks without second guessing the potential impacts on themselves,” Governor Mike Parson said. “They do a job most people don’t want to do, and they must have the proper equipment to protect themselves and our fellow citizens. These grants will assist in the purchase of ballistic vests, police radios, light bars, sirens, and other equipment to help our law enforcement officers do their jobs as safely and effectively as possible.”

A total of $708,000 in federal Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG/JAG) funds from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance has been awarded to 106 law enforcement agencies, including municipal police departments, county sheriffs, public university police departments, and state law enforcement agencies.

Grant awards are limited to a maximum of $9,999.99. Grant recipients must purchase their approved equipment by June 30, 2020.

Local departments receiving grants are:

Camden County Sheriff’s Office:
• $9,998.25 for two Radios/Repeaters

Lake Ozark Police Department
• $9,700 for six Lightbars/Lights

Laurie Police Department
• $1,340.95 for 10 Flashlights

Miller County Sheriff’s Office received $9,995.64 for the following:
• 16 Reflective Vests/Protective Clothing
• 40 Medical (Trauma Kits, First Aid Kits, AED’s, etc)
• 8 Vehicle Partitions
• 15 Lightbars/Lights
• 6 Flashlights

Morgan County Sheriff’s Office
• $9,975 for three Radios/Repeaters

Richland Police Department
• $5,300 for five Ballistic/Bulletproof Vests

Stover Police Department
• $9,907.63 for two Radios/Repeaters

Versailles Police Department received $4,935.86 for the following:
• 7 Medical (Trauma Kits, First Aid Kits, AED’s, etc)
• 4 Siren Box/Speaker
• 2 Lightbars/Lights

In the statewide total, the funding will help pay for the following:
• 143 ballistic vests
• 67 police radios
• 5 vehicles
• 174 light bars/lights
• 40 siren boxes/speakers
• 38 car cages/partitions
• 272 reflective vests/protective clothing (cut-resistant gloves, raincoats, parkas)
• 307 first aid/trauma kits
• 13 body cameras
• 1 in-car camera
• 6 mobile data terminals
• 193 flashlights
• 70 protective shields, helmets, and batons
• 113 handcuffs, leg restraints
• 155 miscellaneous items, including metal detectors, thermal imaging equipment, equipment storage boxes, etc.

“These grants will increase the ability of our Missouri police officers and sheriffs’ deputies to do their jobs more safely,” Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten said. “The money will fund over 140 ballistic vests, over 300 first aid and trauma kits, over 60 police radios, and other important equipment. In an era of tight budgets, these funds can make a difference.”