Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has kicked off the "Safer Missouri" initiative with flair, doling out the first-ever Missouri Blue Shield designations to 15 communities. As reported by the Governor's official website, this title is no small feat—it symbolizes a vow to public safety, a backing for law enforcement, and the promise of strong communal bonds in the battle against crime.
The chosen few, including Jefferson County, Arnold, and the town of Sedalia, have shown true colors in their commitment toward enhancing safety, as reflected in the Executive Order 25-03, with the Blue Shield Program nestled right at its core, and these communities are now in line to snag state grants for bolstering law enforcement training and gear, with the Governor's eye on pulling together a handsome $10 million in grant funds—pending the General Assembly's nod of approval.
In order to snag a Blue Shield designation, communities had to jump through a few hoops: pass a resolution to show their serious stance on public safety, prove their finesse in lowering crime rates or show off innovative schemes that may just do the trick, and link arms with regional anti-crime coalitions, to name a few, according to criteria detailed on the Governor's press release.
The grab for grants is set to begin in July, assuming the folks at the Missouri General Assembly see eye to eye; communities that want to sport the Blue Shield badge are encouraged to send in their applications—which will be sifted through by the Department of Public Safety before they slap on the designations within the span of a mere two weeks and the communities that make the cut aren't off the hook just yet, they need to keep proving their commitment year after year with DPS wanting regular reports on their ongoing crime-fighting sagas.
