Platte County is moving forward with plans to achieve Missouri Blue Shield Program designation.
At the Monday, May 5 administrative meeting of the Platte County Commission, commissioners approved a resolution supporting law enforcement, toward the Sheriff’s Office application for the new Blue Shield Program, established in March by Gov. Mike Kehoe.
Missouri counties, towns, and cities can apply for Missouri Blue Shield designation, recognizing their commitment to enhancing public safety, strengthening support for law enforcement, and building sustainable public safety partnerships.
The Blue Shield Program, as outlined in Executive Order 25-03, is part of the governor’s Safer Missouri initiative announced on his first day in office, according to a press release issued in March. Achieving the Blue Shield designation allows communities to access state grants for law enforcement training and equipment.
“Improving public safety is the top priority of our administration, and Missouri communities that are making public safety and support of law enforcement a priority should be recognized,” Kehoe said in the release. “We urge Missouri communities to apply for the Blue Shield designation to spread the word about the safer communities they’re building. We will continue to work with the General Assembly to make $10 million in grant funding for law enforcement training and equipment available to Blue Shield communities.”
Among the Blue Shield designation eligibility criteria are:
Passage of a resolution demonstrating a commitment to public safety, including to reduce violent crime within the jurisdiction;
Extraordinary investments in public safety funding;
Community policing initiatives or local partnerships to invest in and/or improve public safety;
Law enforcement officer recruitment and retention program;
Demonstrated effectiveness in reducing crime or innovative programs that attempt to reduce crime;
Participates in regional anti-crime task forces, or a commitment to be a willing partner with these in the future; and
Compliance with Missouri crime reporting and traffic stop data requirements and other related statutes.
Platte County Commissioners approved that resolution last week, pointing out increased investment in public safety over the past few years.
According to the resolution, Platte County has “demonstrated an ongoing commitment to and effectiveness in reducing crime, such as, collaborating with the Kansas City Police Department to mitigate the rising trends in retail theft, collaborating with Platte County Courts through the Court Tracker program to monitor treatment court participants and ensure compliance; and has made extraordinary investments in public safety, increasing the public safety budget from $12.3 million in 2022 to $18.2 million in 2025 to fund additional deputies, training, and modern equipment.”
The Platte County Sheriff’s Office also engages in community policing initiatives such as providing school resource officers in three school districts, hosting junior deputy programs, holding community events, participating in Arrive Alive events, holding holiday charity events, running a hygiene products drive for underprivileged youth, community education presentations, increased social media engagement with citizens and forging partnerships with local organizations to improve safety.
Several other programs thourh the Platte County Sheriff’s Office are outlined in the resolution, including partnerships with local stakeholders to invest in and improve public safety such as partnering with A Turning Point Academy to allow inmates to receive high school diplomas; partnering with Vested Interest to obtain bullet proof vests for Sheriff’s Office K9s; working with city councils and home owner associations to address crime patterns and crime reduction efforts, partnering with schools and senior living centers to conduct crime prevention training and more.
Platte County also participates in the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the Internet Crimes Against Children regional anti-crime task forces, as well as the Regional Computer Forensics Lab, Operation Relentless Pursuit and the Metro Squad to combat crime across jurisdictional lines; and the Platte County Sheriff’s Office is committed to proactive policing practices such as using technology such as body worn cameras and crime/data analysis software; maintaining a crime analysis unit; maintaining a cyber-crimes unit; and providing deputies with crisis intervention training
According to County Administrator Wes Minder, one of the perks of the program is eligibility for additional state grant funding.
Also last week, the Platte County Commission proclaimed May 11-17 as Law Enforcement Officers Appreciation Week and May 15 as Law Enforcement Memorial Day, with the authorization to fly flags at half staff.