Cedar Co. Sheriff gets 3rd grant from state to purchase safety equipment for deputies

Governor Mike Parson announced that the Missouri Department of Public Safety has awarded 106 Missouri law enforcement agencies a total of more than $700,000 in grants 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 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.”

“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.”

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.

Cedar County Sheriff James McCrary applied for and received his third  such grant. He will use the $6,005.58 to purchase 28 reflective winter coats for deputies, 14 flashlights and since there was money left over, he got permission to purchase gloves to protect deputies from “sharps” when searching the pockets of people they have arrested and LED road flares to protect deputies working wrecks.

In 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.