By MATT PIKE
The St. Joseph Police Department now knows how much money they will be receiving through being Blue Shield designated.
Police Chief Paul Luster says through the Blue Shield program, each agency chosen this round will receive around $30,000 in state funding to purchase equipment, training, and a wide range of other things to help combat crime in the community.
Luster says currently they are evaluating the needs of the St. Joseph Police Department to see what they will do with their portion of the state money.
"So, we began internally kind of looking at what our needs are, what funding don't we have that we have a need for, so we can get that application submitted," Luster says on the KFEQmunnity show. "So, we're really wanting to focus on, I think with any grant I think you need to look at where do you get the most bang for your buck? So, we're really looking hard at that right now."
Luster says they will look at previous budgeting to see things they may have not had the funds to do in previous years to determine what is the priority to use the state funding on by the July 31st deadline to submit the application.
Funds from the state generally go towards types of equipment, varying between agencies, and Luster says that might be what his department ends up looking at as well.
"We're looking at maybe some type of upgrading some equipment, but I focus a lot of fiscal responsibility, and I want to make sure we're doing right by those dollars we're getting," Luster explains. "So, we're kind of homing in on that right now and we'll have that kind of across the finish line by the deadline."
Regardless of what the St. Joseph Police Department opts to do with the state funds, Luster says it will be a tremendous help because of the price tags on some of the equipment that is able to be purchased.
"Last year you saw everything on that list from maybe smaller agencies they did purchase body cameras, they even bought ballistic vests, they even bought police radios, so really all that stuff, that technology, has a tremendous price tag, so you saw that list was wide open," Luster says. "And what the state was trying to do, the Governor was trying to do, was send that message out that you'll hear a lot of things at that national level like "Back the Blue", the state in this situation they wanted to put some meaning behind it, and the meaning is that funding source."
Luster says there were a lot of smaller police agencies that needed critical equipment without a funding source, and the funding from the state has shown support for law enforcement.
Interview
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